


marbled molasses.

by SunnyJune



Category: EXO
Genre: A buncha country bumpkins, A/B/O, Alpha Chanyeol, Chanhun as childhood friends, Dubious Consent, Knotting, M/M, Mommy Kink, Mpreg, Omega Baekhyun, Some sex scenes that i had to edit down because they were way too self-indulgent lmao, Sub Chanyeol, Tagging that word bc i know it can be triggering!, dubcon, milf baekhyun, pussy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:35:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 29,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22733410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunnyJune/pseuds/SunnyJune
Summary: Sehun and Chanyeol had been friends since birth. They did what regular teens do out in dinky little rural towns – most of which results in some kind of mischief. Without much of a family to call his own, he’d always made himself at home over at Sehun’s house, reaping the benefits of fresh apple pie on Saturdays and their pool whenever it happened to get hot (which was all the time). The times have changed, though, and he’s not the little boy he once was. He gets a whiff of Sehun’s mom, Baekhyun, once – maybe twice, he’s not sure – and then it’s almost as if summer couldn’t be any longer, or life any shorter.Warnings and miscellaneous: this has mommy kink and abo in it. Also, chubby milf baek, because <3!
Relationships: BaekYeol, ChanBaek - Relationship
Comments: 78
Kudos: 424





	1. chapter i ; hazy noon.

**Author's Note:**

> _If ur here from The Inferno of Hellsman, before u scold me, I PROMISE it’s on the way :-D it’s at like 20k words by the time I’m typing this, and I def needed a break to write something else. With that being said, I really wanted to try my hand at ABO, because it’s all I really read these days lol (I’m also sorry if it’s not all that great, this really isn’t something I’m used to writing! But, I’m kinda proud of it hehe). I have a chankai abo fic (that I’m a lil’ more embarrassed of) saved, but I thought I’d post this one first to test it out. Also, I don’t know why, but i feel like i missed a lot of errors when editing? I just couldn’t focus lmao - But as always, I hope you enjoy! This fic is already done, I just have to upload all the chapters, formatting sucks lol 🥰 HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!_  
>    
> _With Love,_
> 
> Sunny June

## chapter i ; hazy noon.

_Mr. Byun loved his son more than anything else. More than anything he had ever accomplished or ever owned, as though he were the very center of his life; the fruit of something beautiful. He wondered if anyone cared about him like that, but he knew the answer was no. It was just a novel idea whose reality made him feel empty and purposeless._

—

“You’re kidding.”

“Swear to my momma and on my deadbeat of a dad, I told you I’m not lying.”

Summer in the boonies had always been a dense swell of heat over air that felt like hot chowder. It were almost as though it rose up and enveloped all, overwhelming at worst, slightly bearable at its best. There were points where Chanyeol himself wondered how he’d spent all of his life out in these parts; how come he hadn’t been burnt to a crisp and left withering on the melting sidewalk long ago. But, Sehun’s house had an air conditioner, so like always, that’s where he’d be. And, of course, he’d joke around and say that he was only there for the cool air and the half-and-half, but Sehun would always know that he was just trying to get under his skin. They’d been friends since before they could even remember.

But, for the pressing matters of the day, that could be put aside. In the present moment, they stood motionless out in the bare haze, sleeves rolled up and hats pulled off, wondering what they’d do next, simmering in pools of their own sweat.

“You oughta be put away for being such a garbage liar,” Chanyeol said nonchalantly, kicking a stray rock from the sidewalk.

“Told you, on _everything_. Why would I lie about it?”

“Because you’re not a beta, and that’s obvious.”

“Sure am, got the papers to prove it and everything.”

Silence brewed about the air like tea before all the sugar, and for a moment, it seemed like it might boil them alive. For a moment, that might have been better than the alternative.

“And you know what that means,” Sehun sighed, crouching down to pull some crabgrass from the cracks between the sidewalk, “I only got accepted into that one university, out on the coast on the other side. All beta’s, no alpha’s, and _certainly_ no omega’s. That includes you, too.”

“You know full well I’m not an omega,” Chanyeol chided, hitting him across the head with the brim of his cap.

To this, Sehun chuckled, and they both relished in the sweet memories of today and all the years prior that might only stay bittersweet, though cherished, tales.

“You know, I hate how they do that,” Sehun pulled out a cigarette, lighting it in the same hand with a finesse that reflected some years of practice, not afraid of being seen by the neighbors for once, “How they segregate everybody. Except alpha’s. You guys can do whatever you want.”

“Well, there’s that military camp—“

“ _There’s that military camp_ ,” Sehun mocked, taking a moment to glare up at him, “That’s a _choice_. I don’t really have a choice. Well, I would if I had’ve gotten scholarships into that private college I got into upstate, or that progressive private co-ed school in the city, but they only ever give scholarships to alpha’s. Mom won’t help me out when it comes to affording it because _’I’ll be safer at a beta college’_. But what does he know… _Nothing_ , I’ll tell you that much.”

Chanyeol looked up into the sky as a breeze started to pick up, the building smell of tobacco smoke filling his nostrils. How he wanted to say that he could understand, but he truly didn’t. There were some unspoken words that could have filled the gaps in their silence, but sometimes, that quietness was necessary. It felt like they were having some kind of informal funeral, sending Sehun off into some life beyond when, really, they might have been being a little dramatic and hormonal. Whatever. It didn’t matter in the present, anyway. The present was all that mattered, for the past was finite and fading.

“You don’t know whether you’ll like it or not until you actually get there.” Chanyeol suggested meekly. Odd, but only because he was never the type to be meek.

“I know you’ve heard the stories. I don’t _want_ to go to an all-beta school. Hell, I don’t even wanna be a beta, but that’s just what I am, and I can’t change it. You and all them, Jongin, Junmyeon, even _Kyungsoo_. You’re all gonna be here and I’m gonna be in some shitty farmers town studying god knows what because all the good colleges with good connections are private and alpha-exclusive. And you know poor Minseok got sent to an all-omega school last year. When’s the last time you’ve heard from him, because he sure as hell hasn’t reached out to me. Jongdae is the only beta I know in the whole school that gets to go where he wants, and that’s only because he’s got deadbeat parents that don’t give a damn, anyway.” Sehun scoffed, tossing the remains of his cigarette onto the concrete, letting it smoke out without bothering to stomp it, “But anyway, I guess I just have to go. There’s not a lot that I can do about it, and it’s not really like I could afford to go somewhere else. College isn’t supposed to seem like it’ll suck this bad. All for what? Because they can’t trust omega’s to keep their legs closed and they can’t trust beta’s to be functioning members of society? Who even thinks that anymore?”

“Some old crony, probably.”

“ _Exactly_.” He shook his head, “You know, if I had my own money, it’d all be different. Where’re you going?”

“Well, I didn’t think I was going anywhere, now that you ask,” Chanyeol shrugged, crouching down to join his friend, “But I do have a little saved up from that part time job. I signed up for that community college.”

“Oh yeah? And how’s that going?”

“Like shit on the wind.”

“Figures.”

They paused, wracking their brains for some solution that didn’t exist. The painstakingly obvious was laid out before them: life isn’t like a movie. Sometimes, the best means of doing is just going with what’s laid out in front of you. 

“You know, life isn’t fair. Adults always used to say that to me, but the difference is, now I really _feel_ it. I guess that’s just what happens when you turn 18. Everything goes downhill from here.”

“Well—“

“I’ve been watching you boys stand out in the heat for a good while now,” a familiar voice called, “Are you coming inside or getting ready to leave?”

“On our way, mom!” Sehun called back, then mumbling under his breath as he closed the screen door, “Jeez, always breathing down my neck like I’m still a little kid…”

“You fought your mom on this?”

“Yeah, of course I did. Didn’t work, obviously. Now I just feel like teenager being sent off to boarding school.”

“Well, look on the bright side,” Chanyeol stood, “That school’s pretty well known in its own sect, right? Not only that, but I hear all-beta schools throw wild parties. Live it up while you can.”

“Says you, who’s probably gonna transfer out of that little community college so that they can get into some prissy, prestigious private college. And they’ll give you a full scholarship, too - all because you’re an alpha.”

“I might not, I mean—“

“The world just loves alpha’s.” Sehun grumbled, walking back to the door with his hands deep in his pockets, “And no matter what, I’ll always be a beta. Sub-human, somehow, but no one ever wants to admit it. They think I’m good for nothing before they even get to know me. The beta’s are just below average and then the omega’s are barely worth considering, meanwhile you guys get to live life like heroes. Heroes to what, only god knows. Sure sounds fun.”

Chanyeol had given up on trying to reassure him, hoping that he’d ride his anger out in waves before crashing into the shore. Maybe a little more optimistic – but even that was hopeful, seeing as how Sehun had always been a little geriatric and crotchety for his age. And yet, he knew him well, and he couldn’t get mad or annoyed with him. Deep down, he must have been anxious. Hell, maybe even a little scared. Scared for the future, for what he might endure, and that was understandable to Chanyeol. He would never truly understand, and that was humbling to him.

“Thirsty?” Sehun’s mom asked, holding a pitcher of iced tea, a lone lemon floating at the brim.

“Yeah,” Sehun replied, grabbing a glass from the cupboard, “You?”

“No, I’m fine,” Chanyeol shook his head, smiling politely at Sehun’s mother, “Thank you, though.”

Mr. Byun had always been unconditionally kind to him. You could tell in the way he smiled back as his eyebrows turned upward and his lips pulled serenely into a grin; so motherly, so warm, and so very soft. He could’ve sworn he belonged here – he was Baekhyun’s son, too. He wished it were so, anyway. One could only dream.

“Oh, lord,” Baekhyun exclaimed, “You haven’t been smoking those cigarettes again, have you?”

Chanyeol looked shocked for a moment, almost losing it when he saw Sehun equally as shocked near the cupboards, “No ma’am, I don’t do that anymore. Cross my heart.”

“Huh,” He eyed him up and down, a bit suspicious, but also fully aware that Chanyeol wasn’t one to lie on himself, “Well, one of you smells like something died, got ran over, and then thrown into a tire fire.”

Chanyeol couldn’t help but chuckle. There was something about his language that was just so colorful, not matter how obscene or vivid it got. And of course, Sehun was still breaking a sweat over nothing.

“If one of you have the time, it’d really be a help if you could help me weed the garden.”

“How’re those crops looking?” Sehun asked sarcastically.

“Crops? You mean those measly tomatoes? You tell me.”

The two laughed, and it was in moments like these were Chanyeol envied what they had. That Sehun even had a parent, even if it wasn’t both. He’d talk his trash and his mom might give him flack for it, they fought often enough for it to be an issue, but at the end of the day, Mr. Byun loved his son more than anything else. More than anything he had ever accomplished or ever owned, as though he were the very center of his life; the fruit of something beautiful. He wondered if anyone cared about him like that, but he knew the answer was no. It was just a novel idea whose reality made him feel empty and purposeless.

—

“I know you didn’t come here to do chores, but if you wanna leave, I’ll make up an excuse for you.” Sehun shrugged.

“Eh, it’s fine, I mean… I’m here all the time. Might as well.”

Sehun scoffed again, rolling his eyes, “You’re such a suck-up.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

Chanyeol stood with Sehun behind the glass patio door, gulping down the rest of his sweet tea, arms crossed as he looked out at the garden. It was mostly a medium-sized expanse of grass, though the bushes and vegetation that grew around its perimeter seemed neglected and forgotten of. The lawn itself was no dream, dying off in small patches of a golden crisp, though thriving and green in others. Mr. Byun had already begun, pulling weeds and filling the holes, trimming dying and infected stalks and what have you. Chanyeol was not entirely sure about any type of garden work, nor did he really care to know. But, he did care about paying back whatever kindness he was given, and the way Mr. Byun limped, an almost effortless roll over his left thigh, was enough for him to feel as though he could only be useful in his services. So smooth Mr. Byun was at downplaying his ailments that Chanyeol probably wouldn’t have noticed in any other circumstance aside from just watching intently. 

“Why’s your mom got a limp?” He asked, turning to Sehun as he swallowed down the rest of his tea, gasping from all its freshness.

“You know how my dad was. He’s just stuck with it like that, now.”

“…Oh.” 

Chanyeol looked down at his feet ashamedly as an awkward silence dispersed throughout the room. He didn’t know why, but summer here had always felt so quiet. Everyone was too tired to talk and the two were comfortable around each other, but this silence was nothing like those. It was clunky, uncomfortable, even embarrassing; he wanted to hide away, feeling as though he had opened a healing wound. He should take responsibility.

“You know, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to get away,” Sehun sighed, before heading out, “If not for a little while, maybe a few months. This place isn’t as great as I remember it to be, anyway.”

So, he had begun to come to terms with it. Or, so he convinced himself. 

His words echoed behind him before Chanyeol could pull himself away.

“Hey, mom, why don’t you go inside?” Sehun offered, “It’s hot.”

“Me?” Baekhyun sat back on his haunches and sighed, wiping his forehead with his wrist as he smiled gracefully, “We’re only just starting, there’s a lot of work to do, you know.”

“Sure,” Sehun smiled back, taking his place cross-legged a few feet away.

“So, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun began, squinting against the sun, “You have any experience with weeding?”

“No sir, I don’t know anything about gardening.”

“Well, it’s a lot easier than planting, so it shouldn’t be that hard to learn,” he patted the ground next to him, urging Chanyeol to sit, “You pull from the base up with a firm grip. You’ll get a feel for it as you do it repeatedly, but guiding the roots up means controlling how much force you apply and where. If you pull it too fast, you’re leaving all the roots underground and you’re only coming up with the leafy part. If you pull it too slow, you’ll be out here forever. But, with all that said, it’s not too hard. Got it?”

“I think so,” Chanyeol nodded, reaching for a small, raggedy looking green.

“Oh, _no_ ,” Baekhyun slurred, pulling his hand away, “That’s arugula. See the leaves? They’re a bit jagged on the ends. Crabgrass looks like… Well… See this here? It looks like a germ or a virus, doesn’t it? All spreading out from the center and such. That’s what you should be looking for.”

“Oh, sorry – that’s my bad.”

“No need to apologize.” He shrugged sweetly, his cardigan falling over his shoulder, “Everyone needs to learn, don’t they?”

One awkward nod later and they were pulling the weeds together as Sehun got lost in his own world, trimming the bushes and shaping them up to be smooth and identical. He’d always told Chanyeol about how he used to do this early in the morning during the summer when his mom was off at work so he wouldn’t come back and have to spend all day in the heat. Though he’d never admit it to it, these moments were the ones he cherished most. He felt as though he belonged to this family, just another son helping out. These moments, he felt normal. It was like he’d lived this way all his life.

Mr. Byun was a gem to not only him, but to all the boys. However, he had always been the most tender with Chanyeol. The younger would linger about for a bit too long, was always just around the corner, and so it seemed that he may as well have lived here. He had known him for as long as he had been friends with Sehun, meaning that he had also known about the unfortunate demise of his parents. Every fiber of his caring, benevolent being moved him to care for the lone boy that had nowhere else to go. Omega’s tended to be sensitive – of themselves and of others – and very, _very_ private. Always somehow taken advantage of, it made them feel safest to keep close to their alpha’s and children, and this almost always forced them into homemaking. Recently, there had been a lot of talk about omega’s in the workplace, from big business to literature – a sort of cultural revolution in the making, if you will — but, while Baekhyun loved and respected it, he simply didn’t want that for himself. He took pride in raising his first born and only wished for the very best for him, and when his husband left for good, he worked hard at whatever odd-ended minimum wage job he could to keep what he had worked so hard for. Surely, he often doted upon the idea of having more children, but he feared that the chance had passed him by; that he might be past his prime, a bit too old, maybe unable to even have a baby, anymore. But, that didn’t bother him, for now. He had his pride and joy going off to college. It could wait.

Chanyeol had always viewed him in an endearing light. He didn’t know much about his past, and he didn’t need to. He was a shining beacon of hope amongst a sea of hopelessness, stunning and kind, perfect in everything that he was.

As Chanyeol reached for the shovel, weeds rooted deep throughout the soil, his hand brushed lightly against the soft swell of Baekhyun’s breast. So very gently, however, that it was almost as though it had never happened. He blushed furiously, yet the elder showed no notice of the event and continued at his work. He didn’t know what to think of himself – surely, it was an accident. There was no way he did it on purpose, and he’d never be so sly as to try and do such a thing and frame it as an ‘accident’. But, that didn’t stop the tips of his ears from blazing a bright red, his heart beating out of his chest as he hoped and prayed that Mr. Byun simply hadn’t noticed.

As his eyes shifted, debating between whether or not to apologize or pretend it were nothing, his gaze fell by chance to Baekhyun’s bosom. Round, a bit flushed from the heat, and just barely a handful as they threatened to spill out of his loose tanktop. The flash of a hand subtly pulling his cardigan back over his shoulder brought him to a feverish attention – one in which he grappled quickly for anything else to fixate on, lest he be accused of the worst. His gazing had only been an accident – surely, he’d zoned out and that’s where his stare happened to be. Of course. Simple.

“So, Chanyeol,” Mr. Byun hummed, eyes too fixed on the soil he pulled from, “How do you feel?”

“Me? About what?”

“About high school being over, about Sehun leaving. It feels surreal, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, I guess so… I don’t really know what to do with myself… Other than to go back to school. Kinda ironic.”

Mr. Byun stares up at him with a smile that radiates warmth and unconditional love. His eyes scrunched up into crescent moons and his lips pulled back into plush cheeks. Tenderly, adoringly, he says,

“I felt the same way. You’ll get used to it. Everything’s just a bunch of ‘getting-used-to’, isn’t it?”

Chanyeol nodded and stumbled over his words, agreeing. Somewhere deep within, he couldn’t help but squirm, wanting out of his skin, wanting to be surrounded by this man’s essence.

—

That night, Chanyeol walked home alone, somehow worrisome and confused. The wind always picked up at night, rustling the endless rows of cattails that lined the trail home and, though it grew colder, here, it never ever rained. 

This place, a ways removed from the rest of the town, was given to Chanyeol as part of his inheritance after he turned eighteen. Up until a few weeks ago, right after graduation, he had lived in a group home for older orphans. The story was long and tiresome, something that Chanyeol preferred to leave up in the air, but now he found himself at his childhood home. 

Stopped before the porch, he felt as though the whole house had been smothered in a layer of dust, settling deep within the Earth and creaking with age. As far as he knew, no one had been inside for the last decade or so. Gone with the wind may have been all the he held dear, but within this home were cherished memories, strengthened and refreshed by the sight of the small cottage. 

Surprisingly, the house looked as though it had just been lived in. Dishes were left drying in the dish rack, a coat was draped over the back of the couch, and a few pairs of shoes were strewn across the entryway haphazardly. However, the dishes were bone dry, the coat was covered in lint, and the shoes were once his own, now much too small to fit. Everything was reminiscent of a life once lived; one that could still be claimed as his own, though it felt wrong to do so, regardless. It should be left behind.

Solemnly, he walked about the cottage, in and out of each room, his bare feet feeling comfortable over the cold wood, yet so out-of-place. He snuck around as though he ought not be here, and yet he ran his hands over the walls intimately. If anything, he hated most how the air had turned stale.

He saved his parents room for last, like entering might put him into a shock so heavy it’d leave him dead on the floor. He thought he might feel more at peace, this way. Regardless, he turned the knob, so fragile as to nearly pull loose from its frame, and he stood frozen in the doorway before slowly, though steadily, making his way inside. Each step shook from the ankle upward, as though he had forgotten how to walk, as though each step sent bolts of memories – memories of all that he had ever loved and could have still had – back into him. Invigorating, though tiresome; 

_— powerfully devastating._

He sat on the bed, an old blouse hung over the headboard, most likely thrown there in a rush. He could’ve sworn he smelled his mothers shampoo in the pillow sheet if he pressed his nose in deep. He cried until he fell asleep.


	2. chapter ii ; uncomfortable goodbyes.

## 

chapter ii ; uncomfortable goodbyes.

_They no longer resided within the authenticity of childhood. Emptiness was inbound._

—

The night was deep and dark, expanding for miles around the small, rural airport. Somewhere nearby, Sehun’s mom sat in the car and waited, resting his feet on the dashboard. In this very moment, however, there was a silence surrounding the two that consisted only of the summertime cicada’s and the rustling of leaves. There was only so much that could be said now. The time ticked by, counting down to some eventual end that meant so much and so little.

“Well, I hope you have fun.”

“You know I won’t.”

“Why do you always have to be so sulky,” Chanyeol nudged Sehun’s shoulder with his, scoffing with a smirk, “This’s probably the last time I’ll see you for a long time.”

“Realistically, I’ll still be back for holidays and over the summer,” Sehun shrugged, “Not that I won’t miss you, or anything. I guess I do feel anxious, though. This’s all I’ve ever really known, all I’m really comfortable with. I’m not ready to accept reality. That I’m leaving. That I’m a beta.”

“I feel it.”

He didn’t really, but he had a habit of agreeing blindly. The two nodded in unison, watching the sky. Here, light pollution washed everything out like a muddied watercolor palette. Nothing like the clarity of countryside skies on cool evenings. They had both thought, though at different points, that city life must be just about as confused and concocted. Forced, perhaps artificial. They no longer resided within the authenticity of childhood. Emptiness was inbound.

“I’m gonna miss you.” Chanyeol admitted, hands in his pockets.

“You’ll still have the other guys.” Sehun assured, “But I get it. I’m gonna miss you, too.”

Sehun was never really one to be personal nor honest with his own feelings, so to hear him confront his own vulnerability was genuine in and of itself. Yet, soon after, he sighed, resting his hands atop his head, worrying his brows ever so slightly.

“I didn’t wanna have to say it.” He exhaled, “But I feel like I have to. Just in case.”

“What?” Chanyeol asked, curious.

“It’s just… I don’t really know how to phrase it without being offensive, or weird, or— well… Regardless of what I say, you know where my intentions lie.”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

“We live in an alpha’s land. We both know that. And… It’s just— my mom cares about you. You hang around a lot. An alpha and an omega? Spending a lot of time together? I’m— You’re— You see why I’d be protective, right?”

Chanyeol blushed, flustered and somehow offended, though he knew Sehun didn’t truly expect that of him.

“No, yeah, I- I’d never even _think_ of… Doing something like that, it’s just… Not me, you know? I respect you and your mom too much to ever…”

“I know, it was stupid of me to even bring it up,” Sehun shook his head, his voice softening for the first time ever, it seemed, as he looked up at the planes as they took off and landed, “The world is cruel to omegas. They take advantage of them whenever they can. I love my mom too much to let anything happen to him.”

“And by they, you mean alphas, right.”

“You know it’s not like that, so don’t even try to act like that’s what I’m meaning to say. Seriously.”

Chanyeol nodded. He wasn’t one to stir up an argument, and his comment wasn’t made out of his own offense, but he knew what Sehun was getting at. It didn’t make him mad, but it hurt him. Why wouldn’t it hurt him.

“But, it’s lonely out here, too. Visit him, check up on him every once and a while when I’m away. It’d mean a lot.”

“Of course.”

The conversation was uncomfortable, but it needed to be had. Just like the best friends they had always been, they smiled and went in for a hug before he hauled his bags over his shoulder and made his way to the terminal. Chanyeol knew he’d see him again, just not any time soon.

“What’d you two talk about?” Mr. Byun asked, starting the car.

“Just some goodbyes,” Chanyeol grinned awkwardly, “I’m gonna miss him.”

“Hey, imagine how I feel,” he looked up at him through sorrowful lashes, “But it’ll be okay. Life goes on, you know?”

“Yeah.”

Mr. Byun grinned to himself, though Chanyeol could swear that there was a wet sparkle to his eyes. Somewhere in the air, a whiff of something like warm strawberry syrup.


	3. chapter iii ; sleepy lust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for anyone wondering what pictures of baek and yeol inspired this fic, I tweeted it here: https://twitter.com/sunnyjune666/status/1228608957230403585?s=21  
> ❤️

## 

chapter iii ; sleepy lust.

_He was awed. By the story that hadn’t been told. By the memories they had but he would never be privy to._

—

Two or so weeks had passed since Sehun left, and it would turn out that Chanyeol had avoided Mr. Byun altogether. He’d only presented as an alpha a few months ago, and he didn’t understand what he was or who he’d become as a result of it, but these were the dynamics of the life he lived; of the society he would one day run the front line of. Regardless of whatever pretentious societal norms lay before him and the oath he gave to his best friend, the new quarter would begin in a few weeks, so he might not be stuck with boredom in this tiny home, anymore. He had isolated himself for a while as he contemplated everything, making renovations as he saw fit and working every second he had to save up. At school he had his friends, at the group home he had the people that he once called brothers, and at Sehun’s home he nearly had a family. Gone with the wind they were, so quickly, so abruptly, that it left Chanyeol empty and contemplative; wondering why it had to be this way. Wondering why he felt he was doomed to be alone.

The path back to the rest of town was a long, winding road that was all mud any other season, but lined with golden cattails during the summer, as far as the eye could see. Here, he sought understanding as a cure to his recent aloofness. Here, he would think to himself without the intermissions of the world as a whole. Here, he could be selfish. It could only be by coincidence that his phone would ring as he sat to himself and, of course, it’d be Mr. Byun.

“Hello?”

“Chanyeol!” Mr. Byun started excitedly, “Have you been eating well? Have you had dinner yet?”

“No, I—“

“Come over, then! I made pasta, hurry before it gets cold.”

“Okay—“

“Alright, alright, see you then!”

_Click._

Chanyeol tilted his head in confusion, raising a brow. There wasn’t anything unorthodox about the situation itself, for Mr. Byun had always been energetic and talkative, but he pondered whether or not he ought to go. It was then that he realized that Sehun’s message was a bit contradictory, something along the lines of, _’don’t you dare step foot near my mom, but also, please check up on him’_. Whatever the situation may be, Chanyeol knew himself, and he knew he’d never do anything that would dislodge or invalidate Sehun’s trust in him. 

Plus, it had been a while. Baekhyun’s home would be more of a home to Chanyeol than this one would ever be, for the house he spent his younger years in was a decrepit tank of memories too old to be recovered, and Baekhyun’s home was filled to the brim with vibrant, peaceful ones that he could remember like yesterday’s news.

—

As Chanyeol approached on the sidewalk, jacket swung over his shoulder as he fought the heat, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia in his chest. _’Nostalgia? Already?’_ he had thought, shaking his head. But, the sight of that one story home with the garden out front and the white, broken-down, Honda Accord in the driveway had always been familiar to him. It meant more than his ‘best friends house’, it was a place of belonging.

Chanyeol himself was competitive and a little hotheaded, sure, but there was a side of him that was sweet and vulnerable. When he had thought that he wasn’t worth his own weight, when anger consumed him like tidal waves, he would come here and he would fit in unconditionally. Any frustration, any stress, any disdain for the past that he just couldn’t come to terms with— it melted away and merged with the present. Seamlessly, as though it ought to be this way. Surely the group home was where he lived, and it wasn’t all too bad, but it was a bed and a shower. Baekhyun’s home was a heart and a cup of tea.

Nevertheless, Baekhyun quickly welcomed him in, fawning over him as though Chanyeol were sick and dying. _‘Can I get you anything?’, ‘Why don’t I get you another serving?’, ‘My my, is it too hot in here for you?’_ and on and on until Chanyeol had begun to feel as though he were imposing somehow. He knew he wasn’t, but something felt off, and he couldn’t quite pin it.

“It was delicious,” Chanyeol smiled sweetly, finishing off a glass of water, “Thank you, Mr. Byun.”

“It’s my pleasure, as always,” Baekhyun chuckled humbly, “It’s just so nice to have someone else in the house, you know.”

Now that he thought about it, _everything_ was off. He looked Mr. Byun up and down, and as usual, it would be hard to detect if one didn’t look carefully. He was growing frail, like he hadn’t been eating much, and the thin skin beneath his eyes were beginning to bloom with shades of purple and pink, like he hadn’t slept much, either. It was then that Chanyeol knew he really ought to visit more, if not because Sehun told him so, because he saw the way that Baekhyun suffered when left all alone. It hurt his heart more than anything, and he had wished he’d visited sooner. The bane of his existence was feeling as though he always had to give back somehow to compensate for what he took. If only he understood that Baekhyun didn’t want or require anything from him, he was just happy to have him there.

“Is your hand okay?” Chanyeol asked, looking to his left as the two cleared the table. Mr. Byun’s fingers were bandaged all over, particularly the tips of his fingers and down the pointer, as though he’d recently plunged his hand into a pile of broken glass.

“Oh,” Baekhyun shrugged, smiling as usual, “I work at a mailroom now, so filing through a couple hundred letters a day really adds the paper cuts on. But you know, it’s easy work, early in the morning, too, so I can still come home at a decent time.”

He quickly changed the subject, never wanting to talk about himself, never wanting to divulge in anyone how hard he worked as though it were normal to go above and beyond ones limits. Most of all, Chanyeol wondered if he was working so hard because was trying to help Sehun with college financing, or if it was because he had so much time on his hands that it brought him agony to stay home alone for so long. He figured it was the latter more than the former, and he could read it all over him. It must’ve been miserable.

“Oh, no no, I’ll take care of that,” Baekhyun frowned, intercepting Chanyeol on his way to the sink.

“Are you sure?” Chanyeol asked incredulously, almost beginning to be annoyed by his imposing kindness, “You cooked all this, I can wash the—“

“It’s alright, really.”

And there he went again, grinning that beaming grin, eyes and nose scrunched cutely in a rainbow of genuine joy as he placed an affectionate hand on his shoulder. Somewhere in Chanyeol’s stomach grew an odd pain, but he chucked it up to eating too much and sat down, not quite wanting to leave the elder alone again, reminiscent of days when he and Sehun wouldn’t part ways because they had enjoyed far too much their time together to spend any more apart.

—

Mr. Byun sat back on his recliner, having already fallen asleep by the time he’d finished the dishes, leaving Chanyeol to do as he wished. He figured he might as well leave, but he missed it here – days gone by without a thought hinting the fact that it might all end one day, and here it was, right before him. Even still, it was hard for him to believe that it was all real. Why, it couldn’t be, but as he walked the halls it settled deep within him the idea that he would have to move into the old cottage permanently and commute to school, go to work… Maybe there would come a day where he’d come back one last time, and that’d be it, and then he’d part ways as though he had never been here. On a thin, narrow table at the end of the hall stood several framed pictures and, pinned cutely on the wall above it, a picture of what looked like Baekhyun in his youth holding a toddler-sized Sehun, smiling sunnily on a beautiful day in the park. Chanyeol recognized that park, actually, and wondered how long it would have been after this picture until he met them both for the first time. More so, it was interesting to him how Baekhyun hadn’t changed much at all. A little wrinkly around the eyes and a little more full, but with the same gorgeous aesthetic, shirt loose and flowing around his ethereal frame, hair just a bit long and in a now-outdated style, wrapping around his face in the breeze. Taken candidly, of course. That’s just how perfect he was.

Further still, and wanting to see more, amused by the past and how much of it he would never see, he opened the drawer to the skinny table. Nothing but a few photo books, with a brown one standing out. It was dusty, linty— so much so that it was disgusting to hold as it all rubbed off on his fingers. Unlike the others, there was no title, but seeing inside said more than any title ever would. Several pictures, almost a hundred, of this man and _only_ this man until he reached the very back. Now, this man, Baekhyun, and Sehun, all smiling fondly at each other over what looked like dinner. A Christmas party. Some get-together. Who knows. It must’ve been Sehun’s dad. He didn’t quite recognize the house, either, as it was so lavish and extravagant, so this must’ve been the one they shared before they had divorced, which must’ve been a a little while since Sehun and Chanyeol had met altogether. 

He was awed. By the story that hadn’t been told. By the memories they had but he would never be privy to. He felt as though he had seen something he ought not to, riddled with shame and embarrassment, like he had rifled through their pasts and dug up things even they didn’t like to think about. 

Chanyeol set the photo book back in its place as the odd, lingering pain returned, causing him to lean over, rubbing at his temples as a headache came on to accompany it all. He wasn’t one to get sick, never over Baekhyun’s food for one, and he never got migraine’s, for another. The walk back down the hallway was hazy and muted, like the perpetual state of a door half opened and half closed, midway between the light of the sun and utter, complete darkness. 

He thought he should ask Mr. Byun for a ride home, wondering how he’d make it all the way back without throwing up everywhere or passing out. _’Seriously’_ , he had thought, _’What has gotten into me?’_ , and it was only after he approached Baekhyun to wake him that he began to feel pulled in all directions by gravity. Like the lightheadedness of a rapid nosebleed, like the nausea of a boat ride on savage seas, he began to crumble into all his constituent pieces. He couldn’t help but notice how obscenely his legs parted, how the legs of his shorts hiked up a little too high, his glasses resting low on his nose as his mouth laid agape, his chest rising and falling with each shallow breath. He hadn’t noticed these things before— why was he noticing them now? Why did they make him _feel_ this way.

Beneath the smell of sweet tea on his breath was the rising aroma of something sweet and baking – strawberry pie with a light touch of cream. Chanyeol gripped the back of the recliner for support as his legs weakened and his vision blurred, hurrying for the door, only for it to sharpen to suddenly, perfectly. Clarity. He couldn’t help where his eyes fell, nor that that they lingered on the way Baekhyun’s nipples poked through his tee shirt, or the way his thick thighs enticed him to bury his face in between them.

He was warned about this. He knew better. He had to have. But, why was it all of a sudden so suffocating? Why had the air grown so thick, and why was he being drawn so strongly to him?

“Chanyeol?” Baekhyun murmured, removing his glasses to rub at foggy eyes.

He fell to his knees by the armrest, shivering and shaking with cold sweats, thinking he truly might faint or die, but either would be better than the thoughts racing through his mind.

Provocative. Obscene. _Vulgar_.

“Chanyeol? Are you okay?”

Baekhyun reached to feel his forehead but stopped just an inch short as the smell of bitter musk singed his nostrils, causing him to recoil. His face might’ve turned in slight disgust one moment, but it was soft and pitiable in another as Chanyeol hung his head by his armrest, reduced to his knees and breathing heavily. He was triggered by something, it seemed, and it was just the budding flower of his very first time, yet still it was potent and hot, cutting through the air like knives. Then Baekhyun had realized, he must have been starting his heat. With Sehun gone and the house to himself, he had lost track, and the weak hormones that were coming off of him must’ve gotten to this poor little alpha, new to these kinds of things. Maybe it was the first time, he thought, and that’d explain why he was having such a violent reaction.

“Here,” Baekhyun offered sleepily, guiding him by the shoulder from his chair.

Chanyeol settled clunkily between Baekhyun’s legs, his breathing growing ragged and harsh as he began to lose all sense of himself. Frustrated tears fell from his eyes in slow, trickling streams. Oh-so-confused, he just didn’t know what to do with himself.

“C’mere, don’t worry,” Baekhyun cooed softly, no louder than a whisper as he began pressing tenderly into the soft spot behind Chanyeol’s neck, “Mommy’s got you.”

Baekhyun spread his legs, allowing Chanyeol to nuzzle up close to his warm pussy. It was at this point that Chanyeol came to understand just where that sweet, intoxicating scent had been coming from. It was neither a hallucination nor some perfume— he had been smelling Baekhyun. The first time, it was faint and barely there, a passing thought. Now, just a week or two later, it rang through the room needing, _demanding attention_. He wiggled his way in deeper, not quite caring for where it came from or why, only wanting the sweet sensation of relief that it gave him, the tip of his nose poking and prodding at Baekhyun’s rim through cotton shorts. He’d never admit it, but the omega quaked from within, resisting the intense urge to push back on his face, to feel his tongue on him.

But no, of course. He was just a kind mother helping out a young, maturing, and struggling alpha. It was no more than that. 

Chanyeol moaned softly, taking no move to touch the omega, but he kept trying to get closer and closer to the source of the smell, exhaling deeply with each sniff.

“ _’smells so good…_ ” he mumbled, calming and feeling much better as time passed, “ _so, so good…_ ”

Baekhyun dug his fingers into the cushions, reeling at the stimulation to his pussy, moaning under his breath and biting at his lip as he tried his hardest to prevent himself from leaking. But it was when a warm, brassy scent pervaded the air, covering up the sharpness that once overtook his senses, that he felt his entire body relax, slick leaking out of him, slow and thick like honey.

 _He came_ , Baekhyun thought, blushing. He’d smelt this scent enough to know what it implied, and as Chanyeol relaxed into his groin, falling limp, he had no doubt that it’d happened. He continued to blush in his own embarrassment, realizing he had leaked all over Chanyeol’s face, smothering him through absolutely _soiled_ shorts, so aroused by now that he thought he might collapse on his own.

“Mr. Byun…”

Chanyeol mumbled on softly, kneading his fingertips into Baekhyun as slicked dripped from his brow, over his eye, and down past his lips, smeared all over his cheek in a sticky mess. He was slowly coming down from his orgasm, mumbling other unintelligible incoherencies into the plush fat of Baekhyun’s inner-thigh, and Baekhyun quickly took to it being endearing as he ran a gentle hand through his hair.

But, the touch of fingertips against his scalp sent a sudden rush of adrenaline booting through Chanyeol and he stood quickly, wiping at his face with his sleeves as he came to realize what he had done.

“I-I’m sorry,” he stammered, shaking his head profusely and grabbing his jacket from the dining room table as Baekhyun stood to face him, “I didn’t know— I’m not— I’m _so_ sorry.”

Before Baekhyun could even say anything, Chanyeol had dashed through the doorway, slamming it behind him. But oh, how aroused he was, a shiver running up his spine at the lingering smell of the alpha, tears budding at the corners of his eyes over a sensation he hadn’t felt in a long, long time. 

His lips stayed parted as he thought to say something, brows coming together in question. But, the chance had passed. He was long gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHSLFJHAFLKGFLJ I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M DOING SO CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS WELCOME AHHHHH


	4. chapter iv ; here i am.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a sneaking suspicion that this chapter in particular has wayyy more grammar/spelling errors in it than usual that I’m just missing for some reason, please try to disregard them, and I’m sorry if it makes for difficult reading!

## 

chapter iv ; here i am.

Chanyeol had always thought that he would be an omega. If not, then at least a beta, but not for any reason rooted in science or logic, simply that he felt that with them was where he belonged. When he turned 15, however, and he started to grow taller, wider, and stronger, it had become apparent to everyone, himself included, that he would most certainly present as an alpha. Lo and behold, the tests came back affirmative and, just like that, he was suddenly on top of the world. One of four alpha’s in his entire graduating class (an irregularly small amount for that year), all stars in their own regard, and all friends by some coincidence. Maybe because alpha’s gravitated toward alpha’s, maybe because of some bias, but Chanyeol hoped most of all that there was more behind their friendship than sex orientation.

Regardless of the truth, Chanyeol had always been pulled to omega’s. He related to them, seemed to understand them more than his alpha peers did, and he was much softer with his soon-to-show omega friends than he would ever be with anyone else. He loved how they listened with purpose and not just to speak, how they held you softly when you felt down, whispering mind-numbing niceties to you like they might a child. These friendships, he felt, were real and palpable, as compared to the often competitive and overbearingly aggressive friendships he shared with the other alpha’s. Then again, he wondered if this was their inherent nature, or if society had molded – even forced – them to be this way. Not all omega’s were the same, but with them is where he felt like he belonged.

Chanyeol’s mind was sweet, loving, and careful, not calculating, sharp, and logical. If only he could be logical. Maybe then he wouldn’t be in the predicament he was in.

After receiving his test results close to graduation day, he had realized that he had never quite looked at them with lust or love, much more a companionate affection than anything else. His doctor told him he’d be slow to develop, just by some genetic disposition. Regardless, he lived life as usual, as though nothing changed. However, when all his newly-blossomed omega friends had begun to avoid him, covering their noses and averting their eyes when he walked past, swerving away when he approached them with parts humiliation and parts fear plastered all over their pretty faces, he had begun to feel the change. They could smell him, and this odor did something to them that he didn’t quite understand, no matter how many times it had been explained aloud. They were a mystery to him. A beautiful, confusing mystery. He would miss their friendship dearly, as it had now become virtually impossible and socially unacceptable to be “only friends”.

A few weeks following, the attraction finally began to bud deep within his chest as their supple bodies passed him by, outlined by the cover of their clothes. They deserved to be held, protected, and respected, and he wanted to be the one to do so; to smother a sweet, caring omega with all he had. The idea, however, was embarrassing, and what had happened with Mr. Byun was the exact opposite of what he had ever expected of himself. Nevertheless, all he could remember of that night was slick smeared on his face, the air filled with a slew of clashing scents, his underwear soaked in his own cum, and the frantic escape he had made, not bothering to look the older omega in the eye with his rushed apology. Despite his regrets, he couldn’t deny that he was absolutely intoxicated by that angelic scent.

His once innocent, childlike, and friendly affection for the opposite sex had now become much more complicated, thus were the woes of being inducted into life, of growing up, of being human. However, after that evening with Mr. Byun two days ago, he had no doubt in his mind that he was meant to be an alpha. It was everything he could have ever wanted. But, he needed advice— and what better way to get it than from an experienced friend?

“Thanks for meeting up with me.” Chanyeol bowed, taking a seat across from him.

“I haven’t seen you all summer, I couldn’t say no,” Kyungsoo smiled welcomingly, picking up the menu.

Chanyeol didn’t know Kyungsoo as well as the others. Nevertheless, he was a gentleman, more so than any of his other alpha friends. A bit reserved, but years more mature than his peers. In this way, he related to him most when it came to the way he viewed omegas. Perhaps it was just because he was soft-spoken, but he never spoke ill about them. The same couldn’t be said of the others. A bit intimidating, the most of all of them, even more so than the head alpha’s son, but he was also the most “experienced” and, quite frankly, the most looked up to in their friend group.

“To cut it short, I need your advice,” Chanyeol exhaled in reply, “I scented an omega for the first time. But, I mean, it was awkward as _all hell_. I never meant for it to happen, but it just did, and by the time it was all over, I could barely remember any of it. Is that normal?”

Kyungsoo chuckled, almost demeaningly before setting down his menu, “You mean, you scented an omega and their scent was so strong it made you pass out?”

“ _Almost_ ,” Chanyeol admitted bitterly, sighing in exasperation, “But I definitely _didn’t_ pass out, to be fair. I didn’t know it at the time, but I think they were in heat, or something.”

Kyungsoo eyed him up and down, almost doubting his last statement, “I get that it was probably your first time, and that can be overwhelming, but _heat or not_ , what omega do you know that’s practically knocking you out _and_ is letting a virgin alpha have them?”

Chanyeol paused, tilting his head and furrowing his brow, voice diminished to a whisper,

“Is that weird?”

“Not weird,” Kyungsoo shrugged, “I mean, the very idea of sex is “weird” in general, if you think about it. But I’ve always associated really strong, _overpowering_ scents with mature omega’s. Usually older, usually healthier, but almost _always_ having had their first litter, at least. That’s why I’m suspicious — exactly _whose_ mom are you seducing?”

“Shut up,” Chanyeol chuckled in surprise, the other shaking his head at his own joke, “Look, the point is, it was just so _awkward_ , I can’t look them in the eye, let alone go back to explain myself. What do I do?”

“Well, that’s simple,” Kyungsoo shrugged, “Apologize. Simply, but genuinely. Confirm my hunch: they’re older, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I doubt that they would’ve let a young alpha do anything if they didn’t actually want it. They probably don’t even want an apology from you. I love older omega’s. Know why?”

“No, why?”

“Because they’re a little more forceful, a little more opinionated. They’re not afraid to push you away, to demand what they want unapologetically. So, I wouldn’t feel sorry about it. There’s no way they’d let a punk like you do whatever you want.”

“Whatever,” Chanyeol rolled his eyes, eliciting another laugh, “I’ll go apologize. Thanks, though.”

“But seriously, _who_?”

Chanyeol continued to frown, to where Kyungsoo wondered if he could frown any harder.

“Do you promise to keep a secret?”

“Yeah. You can trust me.”

He genuinely felt that he could trust him.

“It’s Sehun’s mom.”

Kyungsoo froze, his eyes widening to the likes of saucers before his gaze darted up to look Chanyeol sharp in the eyes. Dejected, ashamed, barely able to hold a straight, sincere gaze— he couldn’t have been joking. Even if he were, it was a cruel joke that he simply couldn’t forgive. All of their friend group knew Sehun’s mom, and they had all come to care for the older omega like family, Chanyeol most of all. In the pit of his stomach sat anger, but ruminating beside it was jealousy. Though they never talked about it for the sake of social decency, it was the unequivocal truth that Sehun’s mom was unforgivably _hot_. The ones that had grown into their own before him (so all of them, essentially) could smell the sweet aroma of his slick leaking into his panties right before his heat began when they were over at his house to see Sehun. They’d all dart their heads in the older omegas direction and, out of politeness, Baekhyun would pretend to not notice. Meanwhile, Sehun was all the more oblivious as they all sat in his living room, his mom cutting fruit on the kitchen countertop while he rattled on about his usual antics.

Despite the tenseness that came with alpha’s and their possessiveness over omegas, Kyungsoo felt bad for Sehun. This would _devastate_ him, ruining a friendship that had lasted almost the length of their entire lives thus far. There must have been a reason why he was doing what he was doing, but Kyungsoo simply couldn’t fathom it.

“I know what you’re thinking, you might as well go on ahead and say it,” Chanyeol murmured, leaning on his palm and staring at his lap.

“You just didn’t seem like the type to do something like that. Especially because Sehun’s your best friend. If anything, it’s unexpected. I’m… Shocked.”

“That’s why I asked for your advice,” Chanyeol admitted, fidgeting with his fingers, “I— I’m just so conflicted.”

“Well, what is there to be conflicted about?”

“Look, I know it’s wrong. I know that there’s no reason for me to want anything from this, but,” Chanyeol sighed again, “But it’s _everything_. Absolutely _everything_. I have a connection to him that I can’t explain, when it was all over I couldn’t keep my mind off him. I’ve known him all my life, it’s just so—“

“And how do you know that you’re actually drawn to him like you say you are, and it’s not just the pheromones.”

The two halted their conversation, staring at each other in shock over the bitter taste of Kyungsoo’s statement. Kyungsoo had never meant to let it slip in such a way, for he had never been one to be brash, and Chanyeol couldn’t believe the very audacity of such a comment; that he might disassemble all of his feelings to basic chemistry. Truth be told, Kyungsoo had no place in his life for topics bordering shameful, and he couldn’t pardon or sugarcoat them. It was enraging to hear, not only that, but he, too, so powerfully strung by all that an omega was, felt some attachment to Baekhyun. They all did. But, it was some unspoken oath to never speak about it, much less act on it. 

“I’m sorry.” Kyungsoo apologized, looking away awkwardly.

“Well, anyway, I hope it’s more than that. At the same time, I— I know it’s wrong. I just can’t deny that. You know, Sehun and I had a talk about this _exact_ thing, and I had promised that it’d never even cross my mind. But cross my heart and hope to die when I tell you that I could barely control myself. And it was just so _comforting_. I’m so attracted to him, I don’t know what to do about it. You can think I’m an awful person for it. I agree. But there’s just something between us that I _can’t put into words_. I wish I could just show you, somehow. Like I said, I’m conflicted.”

“By the sound of it, I’d probably be, too.”

Their lunch didn’t go so awfully afterward. They joked, they shared news about their lives: like how Kyungsoo would be studying law at his new university in the upcoming weeks, and how Chanyeol had yet to break out of their tiny town. Beneath each topic lay humiliation on Chanyeol’s part and vitriol on Kyungsoo’s, both of which made them insecure, unable to connect as they once had been able to. It was a shame to see, but it was fair to say that Chanyeol was one oddity amongst the masses that followed the rules they lived by.

—

Chanyeol’s hands grew clammier with each step he made toward Baekhyun’s house. He didn’t know what he was going to say, or whether he could even face him. Somewhere ringing solemnly in the back of his head was Sehun’s sulky voice, scolding him for what he had done, even if he had cut it off and felt that it were the right thing to do. At the same time, his inner-voice had told him off for letting an omega in heat endure it all alone, especially knowing full well that Baekhyun had no one else to turn to. Most importantly, however, he wondered what Baekhyun, himself, would say. He wondered if he would be able to forgive him for what he’d done, or if he would even be mad at all, like Kyungsoo mentioned. He’d never seen the elder mad, and he didn’t want today to be the day.

As Chanyeol stepped up to the door, he noticed it was cracked open, the whirring of fans and that new scent that he had begun to figure was signaturely Baekhyun. Sweet, lingering, light on the senses… A moment in a bakery, a passing breeze through a family home during the holidays. In his head, he rehearsed scenario after scenario before he let himself in, hands stuffed awkwardly in his pockets and his head bowed, hoping he might have been in the garden or something. Walking swiftly to the back, he stopped dead cold in his tracks as he began to pass the kitchen.

There was Baekhyun, fully nude with two fingers up his wet pussy; his breathing labored and heavy as he held himself up with one arm on the kitchen countertop while his legs wavered uselessly. His face was screwed into a small frown, occasionally quivering into tiny bouts of ecstasy, as though he were oh-so-close and just not-quite-there yet. Below it all was a small puddle of slick, clear and sticky, smelling exactly like that signature _Baekhyun_ scent and growing with every firm thrust of his fingers.

Chanyeol was simply frozen, watching the omega pleasure himself in ways he had never bore witness to outside of porn. What should he do, what should he say, could he make a run for it and pray to God that Baekhyun had never noticed him? As these thoughts raced through his head at the speed of light, slowly being overtaken by the scene before him, Baekhyun’s head lolled back, eyes rolling endlessly until they fell open, staring Chanyeol directly in the face. 

“ _Chanyeol_?!” Baekhyun gasped sharply, bringing an apron that was hanging over the oven to haphazardly cover himself, “What’re you doing here?!”

His tits were on full display, the width of his arm barely able to hide them. His flushed flesh grew in all its pinkness, first around each nipple and quickly growing up his neck. There was a warm tone to the air, too, like scents of heat subdued, a much less intense form of two days prior. He must have been really hot, as his hair stuck to his forehead, sweat dripping down his neck, past dipping collarbones and a shapely waste, making his entire body glisten softly. 

“Oh- Oh my God, I-“ Chanyeol averted his eyes and turned away, very abruptly brought back into real life, “I’m so sorry, I- I didn’t think… I should’ve knocked, I’ll go-“

“No, it’s okay,” Baekhyun interrupted, clearing his throat to calm his nerves as his reply came genuine and mature, “It’s just a body, this happens to every omega. But, in the future, do knock before you come in, even if the door is cracked open. It’s only polite.”

Sure, the heat was talking. Baekhyun would be humiliated beyond return if Chanyeol were to run away as he had last time. But, he would be a liar to say that Chanyeol didn’t smell like pure lust, and he would be just as damned to deny the fact that all he wanted was to be _fucked silly_ , especially after their little fling had sent his body into overdrive. He had enough of enduring these torturous weeks alone, masturbating all day and never getting anywhere. He _needed_ to be touched by any means, even if it just so happened to be Chanyeol. At the same time, he wasn’t one to ever make any of the boys feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. He wanted to reduce the awkwardness in the air as much as possible, because at this point it was thick enough to drown in.

“Y-Yes, sir,” Chanyeol mumbled under his breath, slowly turning his head to look over.

“It’s okay, it’s just me,” Baekhyun encouraged, looking up at him sincerely through wispy lashes. 

Baekhyun had always had this feathery, sing-song voice. Something you could fall asleep to, something you could easily get manipulated by, something 

Impossibly.  
Fucking.  
_Sexy._

He took Chanyeol’s rough, masculine hands in his, gently thumbing circles over his palms. After lots of looking, he finally caught Chanyeol’s gaze, and slowly brought his hands up to cup his small breasts.

“It’s normal to like this. I don’t mind.”

Sweeter than sugar.

“…Y-You don’t?...”

“No, it’s fine, really. Go on ahead,” he replied, gently squeezing before taking his own hands away, “Explore if you want to.”

Chanyeol ran his fingers around the supple outline of Baekhyun’s breasts, transfixed by the way they bounced in his hold as Baekhyun shifted on his feet, raising fire within his groin and pulling a ruddy blush to his ears. All the while, Baekhyun stood still with his hands behind his back, so graciously offering his chest to the younger alpha. They were a clash of moods, one awkward and embarrassed, the other secure and motherly; both uninhibitedly turned on.

He lightly brushed his fingers over soft, tan nipples until they grew hard, Baekhyun’s breath hitching with each touch, as though he hadn’t been touched in so long, so sensitive because of his heat, but just all the more relaxed with an alpha around. Without much of a warning, he took the small nub into his mouth, pulling a hot groan from the omega as he suckled on his breast, toying with the soft flesh on his tongue. He couldn’t help but suck a bit too hard, causing Baekhyun to snort and giggle before pulling away, breathing heavily as he massaged his tender nipple.

“See?” he said, “Not so bad, right? There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Baekhyun cupped Chanyeol’s face in his hands as the younger tried to blink the humiliation away. Aside from everything else, Baekhyun couldn’t help but swoon over how his cheeks squished cutely between his fingers, plush and soft, just like a baby. His little baby boy.

“It’s natural to have these feelings,” he nodded along, “Gee, you’re a late bloomer, huh?”

Chanyeol didn’t answer, trying desperately to keep his stare away from Mr. Byun’s chest and focused on his eyes. 

“Hey, you okay?” The elder whispered carefully, feeling for high heat and any signs of passing out, “Not too excited, huh?”

Except, after taking a deep whiff of the air, it had become very apparent that Chanyeol was extremely aroused, making Baekhyun giggle. He wasn’t on the verge of complete incoherence like last time, meaning he had adjusted just fine. But, he also must’ve been trying to hide it so that he wouldn’t blow his cover— but these scents were the ones that really got Baekhyun all hot and bothered. Unfortunately for him, the older male had a sharp sense of smell and plenty of experience with alpha’s, so he knew when one was trying to hide from him just how much he liked it.

It was that same musky, sweaty odor that stung his nose in the best of ways. Surely this smell got Baekhyun worked up and wet, ready to be taken, but the smell of his orgasm from two days prior, a little deeper, more complex, and aromatic, made him drip in his own slick, gushing with pleasant hormones and just a tad bit of estrogen. There was something about that smell that made his womb swell and pulsate, sending his body into a writhing, unruly state of need. Still controllable, as such resistance only came with time and age, but enough to force him to acknowledge it.

Cheeks still nestled comfortably in his hands, Baekhyun brought the hand he had been fingering himself with to Chanyeol’s lips. To his surprise, they opened almost a bit too willingly, suckling on the small digits like candy to get every last drop of slick. The hairs on the back of Baekhyun’s neck rose as needy, rampant pheromones pervaded the air, sticking to his skin and making his hips twitch. 

“Gee, you’re just a hopeless lil’ virgin, aren’t you,” Baekhyun managed breathlessly after several moments of just standing in each other’s arms. But Chanyeol knew that tone of voice, and it was all out of adoration. Baekhyun had always found Chanyeol to be a little too cute for his own good. 

Baekhyun slowly stroked Chanyeol’s cock through his jeans, watching the younger push wantonly back into his palm. The omega was naturally mischievous, and it sparkled in his eyes as he brought his free hand to his entrance, fingering himself back open and shuddering with a loud moan as pent-up slick gushed out of him. 

“ _Fuck_ ,” he huffed, Chanyeol’s very presence bringing him some long-awaited satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Chanyeol couldn’t do anything other than helplessly blush as Baekhyun’s slender fingers ran up and down the base of his length, the older melting into him, looking up at him as he got off, eyes half-lidded and droopy with lust. He wanted Chanyeol inside of him— _needed_ his cock drilling him into pieces on the kitchen floor. He doubted it would happen today, but anything was better than nothing.

“Would you like it if mommy let you scent him, huh?” Baekhyun asked tenderly through his moans as he started to scissor his fingers back and forth, “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, baby? To have mommy’s pussy to comfort you?”

Chanyeol nodded feverishly, so fucking turned on, but so, so conflicted. He had no idea what he was doing, why he was letting himself do it, but he had the insatiable urge to fuck Baekhyun’s cunt open, to let him feel the relief of a fulfilling orgasm in the midst of his heat. Above his instincts, he was absolutely smitten for him. He was perfection with mass, someone that Chanyeol had looked up to for as long as he could remember. He was attached. So attached. He didn’t realize how unable he was to admit that until now, as his confessions ran through his head, rendering him completely silent. He didn’t think he could let go, even if he wanted to.

“Here,” Baekhyun mothered, guiding them both to the kitchen floor, propping himself up with both hands as he sat on Chanyeol’s face.

He did his best to avoid grinding down, his attempts given away to Chanyeol in the gentle quake of his chubby thighs and the cute twitch of his tiny little member. He took a look behind him to see precum beading at the tip of the younger’s _obscenely_ large cock, much larger than he could feel through his pants earlier. _God_ , he wanted it inside of him _so bad_. 

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Baekhyun assured as Chanyeol’s hands rushed up to grab his hips, “Mommy’s here, don’t worry.”

Chanyeol relaxed back just a bit, breathing in deeply to take in the smell. Meanwhile, Baekhyun did his best to not giggle – he’d never met an alpha that could come just by scenting him. It was adorable. Everything about him was so lovable. He was struck, so much so that he didn’t know what to do with himself, anymore. Was he babying him, or was he fucking him? There was a very thick line between the two that had somehow gotten blurred over the course of their very confusing relationship.

He didn’t have any room to laugh and poke fun, though, when Chanyeol was gripping his thighs with large hands, pulling him down on his mouth and lapping at his pussy with indulgent, lavishing strokes of his tongue. 

“ _Oh_ ,” Baekhyun gasped, falling forward and landing on open palms, “ _Yes_. God, Chanyeol, _yes_.”

He leaned his weight onto his thighs, grinding and circling his hips while his pussy throbbed, leaving behind sweet, sweet slick for Chanyeol to taste. It drove Baekhyun insane, just how good he was with his tongue. It was either that, or Baekhyun hadn’t had sex in so long that just about anything felt good. He just couldn’t help grinding down, arousal building in his tummy while Chanyeol grew harder and harder, his length turning an angry shade of red.

He yelped in surprise when Chanyeol flipped him onto his back, still lapping at his entrance, but with two thick fingers shoved inside of him. The young alpha moaned softly, never having fingered a pussy, but quickly picking it up from the elder. He couldn’t pull himself away, like he’d just been starving for a taste all his life, never aware of his own desires because of how much he had pushed them away for the sake of feigned normalcy.

“ _Mommy_ ,” Chanyeol moaned again, mouthing against the delicate, sensitive skin of Baekhyun’s entrance.

That alone sent Baekhyun into a mindless craze, and he thought he might cum so hard he’d scream when Chanyeol finally picked up the pace, fucking the omega’s cunt with erratic, swift thrusts of his hand while he stroked his cock. The older male reeled and shook, barely able to get a breath out without stammering as his back arched off the floor and his legs began spreading of their own accord.

“ _F-faster,_ ” Baekhyun stuttered, hands scrambling for purchase on the tile as he grew closer and closer, “Jesus Christ, faster, please, I need it, Chanyeol, baby, oh my God—“

Baekhyun’s mouth fell open and his eyes rolled into the back of his head, brows turned upward like he might cry as he squirted all over Chanyeol’s face. Several small, cute releases followed the first as he relaxed back onto the tile, his thighs twitching and quivering while he came down. That was the first time he’d squirted in over a _decade_. He let that sink in before it had become nothing, his mind as blank as a clean whiteboard.

“You’re so good to mommy,” Baekhyun hummed, making no move to even open his eyes, “What a good, sweet, kind boy you are. Just _perfect_ , and all for me. I’m just so lucky, aren’t I?”

Chanyeol basked in the praise, so, so close to coming, himself. And as a reward, Baekhyun let the young alpha cum on his pussy before he too collapsed, the two lying there in the heat, sticky from all the sweat, cum, and slick with the door wide open and the fans doing nothing to make it any cooler.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let’s all get in a prayer circle and hope that mommy baek gets the dicking of a lifetime next chapter :-)  
> Can I get some suggestions for new side fics? It won’t get written until I get some more work done on my main thing, but I def will write it if anyone throws something out there that I like!


	5. cool the heat! incinerate my soul!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending had to be split into two parts, peep the end notes for info!

## 

chapter v ; cool the heat! incinerate my soul!

_The scene that unfolded before him felt like a spring breeze through the barren valley, like a lone doe grazing at the very first brush of dawn after famine had retired._

—

Chanyeol came back everyday afterward. The sweltering afternoons of a summer that had peaked and gone to let autumn lead the way were now filled with a murky haze of sweetly scented memories, each more confused than the last as the lines bordering individual days blurred just as the lines between their bodies did. Chanyeol spent the next month unable to let go just as Baekhyun was unable to be left alone. As time had passed and as the new quarter started, he had begun to fall in love with the omega’s body in the same ways he had always adored him as a person.

However, recently, Baekhyun’s body had begun to change. Certain spots had gotten thicker and heavier – most notably his tummy, thighs, and tits – and each and every change drew Chanyeol into a deeper obsession. His scent had grown in potency, pooling in specific spots of the house. Chanyeol could walk down to the dining room unfazed, but if he stepped foot into the living room his sight would fail him, not like the days previous in which he would almost lose consciousness. Rather, he would now be caught in whirling pools of deep, deep violet gray behind his eyelids, like he had come to peace with what Baekhyun’s ardent biochemistry did to him. Though the days would pass like torrential rains down a storm drain, though work was hard for the both of them, though classes were ever-difficult and only getting worse, he was always ready to push Baekhyun onto his back and ravage his body with curious, explorative, and excited hands.

Eventually, he got more domineering, a little forceful, even, in the heat of the moment. But, it was very clear that Baekhyun was in charge, and when he let him know his mommy was about to leak all over his face, he’d shiver and lick it all back up, calling his name as he savored the sweetness. Naivety slowly became sensuality, and between the lines of unspoken words that were branded into their skin by way of deft fingertips were tales of love and life _with_ love; like he had never known himself without it. When he’d taken a moment of clarity to think, he had realized that he felt he never truly had until he met Baekhyun. He’d always found comfort in Baekhyun.

“You know,” Baekhyun whispered, the comforter pooling around his waist and Chanyeol pulling up into his bosom as he came down from a full, satisfying orgasm, “We can’t keep doing this.”

Chanyeol murmured something inaudible before nestling his cheek into Baekhyun’s sternum as his breath began to shallow out into a light snore.

Heavy, dated purple curtains were drawn over the window, though they billowed outward whenever a breeze graced the dry, searing land they lived upon. The town was stationed neatly upon the arid flatlands nestled neatly inbetween two mountain ranges, so that coming was always a hassle, and so that leaving was never deemed to be worth it. 

Outside he could hear a bird singing its solitary song, rustling the leaves surrounding its perch and soon flying away to leave silence in its wake. Everyone seemed to be at school or work as the neighborhood echoed with white noise; reverberating ambience throughout the veins of its streets and grates. With the sun this high in the sky, Baekhyun almost felt bad about being shut inside, as though he had been stifling all and any thoughts about what would happen if he were to do so much as dare to open a door, a door leading to everyone knowing the truth. If only there were another way. If only.

Nevertheless, he had begun to smile out of pure infatuation as he ran loving fingers through Chanyeol’s thick, black hair. Though he’d let it go for now, he had meant what he’d said. All the teasing had made him start ovulating again – something he hadn’t done since he’d tried getting pregnant for the first (and last) time. His body was changing, his cycles were lining up to be bred as each heat came quicker, longer, and fiercer than the last. All he could think about was taking an alpha cock deep and steady, so ready to harbor hot, sticky cum in his womb. His instincts told him that he was so ready and so, so willing to have Chanyeol’s child, but his morality — the part of him that was conscious and rational — had known from the very beginning that this was wrong. Yet, he smelled so good, and he was so, _so_ sweet just for him. From dawn until dusk his craving nagged at him from the deserted recesses of his mind, and all the syrupy teasing had ceased to be enough.

It had all started as an act of kindness; a caring, motherly omega giving a naive alpha that didn’t know any better some much-needed relief. He’d always known that Park Chanyeol was a delightful, considerate boy, and he’d never take advantage of this kind of generosity. The first few times were just sex education, and now, he felt like his affection for his sons best friend – nearly a son of his own – was evolving into something more. At first, it was gross, questionable, and he’d tried his best to forget about all of it. Then, he began noticing how, when his scent dispersed throughout the air, or he forgot about his heat and a bit of slick leaked out into his underwear, the alpha would perk up and look around, confused. Rather, _still_ confused, as though it hadn’t been the millionth time, already; as though, each time following, he would be so struck with him as to feel like every time were the first time.

Moreover, Baekhyun considered himself blessed to have a beta son who was not so in tune with scents and moods. Beta’s made for great omega allies. Nevertheless, Sehun was also a bit dense, and Baekhyun, though he loved him more than anything, also considered this a blessing. The stress that came with having no alpha to sate his heat was akin to that of drowning in a still pool. It was slow, agonizing, and he’d suffered severe migraines that pained him less than a week of vigorous arousal. It would make his sensitive spots even more tender, getting to the point where the brush of the lightest cotton tee against his nipples would send him into a reeling frenzy. By the time he was near his heats end, he’d already begun locking himself away, trying to rid himself of the pain any way possible. More often than not, this meant fingering his sopping wet pussy over and over until he tired himself out, strangled moans disappearing into the air as tears streamed down his face. The worst part was that his orgasms were never the explosion to a build up that grew endlessly, not even half of what Sehun’s father made him feel. He was always unsatisfied, so of course he was needy.

At the same time, there was never a point where he could ignore the fact that his action had consequences, and these consequences would certainly affect his son. The peace he had tried so very hard to maintain would never be worth or equal to anything else. Now, he bided his time, wondering how everything might end. He hoped endlessly that it could all just go back to normal, but he had been proven many-a-time that life did not hand out easy endings for free.

Chanyeol provided him with an outlet, with cascading orgasms and acute attention. The young alpha would play with his body in ways that drove him crazy, in ways that got his blood flowing and all those feel-good hormones pumping. And his smell – oh – it was perfect. Not too sour, not quite sweet at all, just deep and musky with a little hint of bitter. Perfection. Like a fine wine for a special occasion; but call Baekhyun an alcoholic, because he was drunk on it all the time.

He lazily ran his fingers up and down Baekhyun’s side as he snuggled close, placing light, wet kisses over his collarbones until he simply lacked the will to stay awake any longer.

—

Their little town truly was an alphas land. While the surrounding areas were all pioneered long ago, this place was the quintessential example of the remaining counties to still be openly alpha-dominated. What was once the old, archaic way of tribal systems from centuries past continued to be reflected in the modernity of today. Alpha’s penetrated every sect, every branch, every square inch of authority. Here, they were all led by Kim Jongin’s father: a virile, adamant, and charismatic man with a knack for leadership who was quickly elected to the position of town mayor. The same vicious cycle persisted: alpha’s helping alpha’s, and striking down the omega’s and beta’s that tried to change anything. This way, nothing ever changed and they enjoyed the comfort they built for themselves. More truthfully, the comfort they afforded by _stealing_ from and taking advantage of the “lesser secondary sex”.

In the days of tribes and war and strife, there were also patriarchs. These patriarchs were often demeaning and downright cruel toward omegas. When they lived in their villages, they were mistreated and used. When they ran away, they were hunted like game and brought back to their miseries if they were lucky to have lived so long. Thusly came the invent of communes for vulnerable omegas that persisted today as “safe havens” exclusive to the secondary gender. Omega exclusive schools, apartment buildings, changing rooms, the list went on-and-on. It seemed unnecessary, all to protect them from their fellow man. However, these people, alpha’s to be exact, were renowned for being ruthless and uncontrolled because they simply didn’t have to be. Society propagated and enabled this behavior, and the common narrative that ran deep within old, rural towns like these were that alpha’s were the superior gender, followed by betas, and then omegas. When even beta’s were no longer safe, when nasty stereotypes multiplied like the flu amongst them both, it became safe for no one. It would be for a long time that the oppressed masses, defeated and held within a shape that they had long ago learned to mimic, were too far beneath their means to compete. Morals built upon dubious foundations like these repressed what human nature and it’s accompanying sexualities truly could be. All dynamic counterparts had been eradicated, and now here lay the remains of something that could have been beautiful had it been sheltered, loved, and kept warm.

That was why Baekhyun had done his absolute best to love all that Park Chanyeol was, up from when he realized he was different. Simply put, Baekhyun was a nurturer. Lover of all things, loser only to his own vulnerabilities. When he had met Chanyeol for the very first time, he thought nothing much of him. He was just a child then, and Baekhyun had already been swayed by his miseries. As he watched him grow, he began rooting for him like he was the runt of the litter; the charming underdog. He exhibited patterns that he saw within no other alpha, alike unconditional tender-heartedness. When he had finally grown into himself, and the older omega had finally realized just how different he was, Baekhyun promised to never let something so rare, something so _treasured_ , go. If it were not meant to be his, he would foster genuine benevolence within him, something different and unique by way of unconditional, undemanding love. It was hard at first. The poor boy had been through so much — things that would harden the hearts of even the kindest of people — and Baekhyun had been around for the worst of it. The tempers, the bad attitudes, the bouts of acting out to find his own place in the world, a dynamically villainous force that evaded him if only to bring him more torment. But, that was then. This love had now blossomed into something much more. And Chanyeol, the lucky boy-turned-man that he was, had become what he was today because of a love that endured and endured, even when it felt it had no love left to spare. Baekhyun’s heart never ceased to swell with goodwill. Even when life had taken almost everything from him, he always managed to search deep inside of himself so that he could continue to give.

And now, with the culmination of all these events, he was at a loss for action. He wanted to do nothing, but he knew he must. Whatever it was, he hoped that God might give him an answer. And yet, years and years of unanswered prayers remained a trend in his life that made it hard to believe in anything, anymore. The difference between now and then was that he actually _wanted_ to believe.

—

Baekhyun had always been one to work hard without realizing just how hard he was working. As someone that had only ever known unrelenting diligence after his divorce, the struggle seemed no more to him than the norm. Even from those that didn’t know him so well came baffled reactions much akin to what Baekhyun used to feel. They felt sorry for him, and at the same time they understood that working had just become a part of his soul. It was a distraction from the stressors of every day existence, it was a purpose added to the very few he felt he had left — everything else had gotten so difficult that this no longer felt like his biggest problem, and for that, he was grateful.

His job at the mailroom had been his newest endeavor. Right before this he had worked as a greeter at the local shopping center. A job like that, at really the only big store in town, had gotten him to seeing all of his familiars rather quickly. He soon became the face of the mall – unofficially, of course - and people would often bring him small gifts. Fresh orchard apples for a pie, a Tupperware container of homemade gravy leftover from a church potluck, an odd bauble that a friendly neighbor thought would fit his home well (even if it clearly didn’t, and that it just so happened to remind them of Baekhyun), all here because he was rarely ever at home to welcome a visit. There was a point where the charity infuriated him, but that fury was only the mask to his embarrassment. After a while, he had grown to accept these things wholly and gracefully, because one day it had dawned upon him that these charities were silent support for the centuries example of fallen omegas; a growing group of bold partners and mothers that opposed tradition and were abandoned as a result of it and left to fend for their families themselves. Baekhyun most certainly was not alone. But, in this tiny town, he was a beautiful martyr and the only one of his “kind”. Some felt pity, others wondered about his situation and believed he could have done more to stay in touch with the rich man whose heart he had once captured, but they did not know of the scenes that unraveled behind opaque curtains. Those that passed by had their own image of him, their own presumptions left unanswered, so they did their best to help in ways that were not too intrusive. What had always surprised him most was that the couples that passed him by, sometimes paired with their alphas on a slow Sunday afternoon, were nothing like what he had been subject to. They conversed with him like he was just another person. Every portrait of an alpha in his minds’ eye was painted with violent hues of purple, dismal and dark as that was all he had known. Vulnerability. That all ended, however, when he felt the brunt of his work, his age written in his joints and his immune system running like the early locomotives of coal and steam. One sick day from a streak of perfect attendance and he was told to not come back, so he didn’t. People stopped seeing him, wondering if he had finally fallen victim to the systems that refused to let him succeed and the conservative alphas that were abhorred by the idea of him winning, even if it were something as minuscule and meaningless as going on a vacation or being able to afford his needs. As if to say, _”If you will not obey, we will make it so hard that you will be forced to listen, lest you suffer for the rest of your miserable days”_. When his fellow omegas stopped seeing him, they felt their hearts wrench in arrest, deeply sorrowed by the disappearance of their unspoken hero, the one that had refused to kneel beneath oppressions boot like the dog they made him out to be.

And so it was rough. But, Baekhyun had worked hard and had a bit of money saved for things like this. Then, one day, he popped up in the mailroom with a blue button-up on and a blue vest to match, and there was a collective sigh of relief that flared over the town; a secret code for those that believed in happy endings. And so, for once, the majority hadn’t won. They celebrated to themselves, and sent their prayers out in the vast space before them, hoping that some God would hear. Baekhyun’s fights were synonymous to their own, and to that, they cheered.

He worked with two others in the very back of the mailroom when he wasn’t at the front desk taking incoming mail, sorting letters endlessly in a small, concrete warehouse with no windows and poor, dusty ventilation. They made do how they could, however, playing old music and propping the door open to bring some semblance of life to a generally lifeless place. The man he worked with was somewhat of an eccentric character, but that was simply a nice way of saying ‘uneducated’. He came from a bustling farmland and didn’t understand the ways of rural living and hum-drum town-life, but his goofiness quickly made up for any of his own faults. The woman he worked with was a mothering omega, someone he’d gone to high school with many, many years ago. She was a bit standoffish and was notorious for being a punk in her youth, always rebelling against the alpha-dominant society she’d been raised in. But, her old, brash ways had been tamed long ago. And though it still left her with quite the attitude, Baekhyun appreciated her for the fact that she was only ever honest and never allowed anyone to speak down to or misunderstand her. He wished he had that kind of strength. 

Baekhyun himself was the most oiled cog in the wheel, speeding things along and making himself known to their boss, who had an infamous reputation for being strict and quickly cycling through employees. Quite frankly, Baekhyun never had any luck with keeping jobs because his alpha superiors often found his heats to be infuriating. _”You ought to just go and re-marry”, “An omega without a mate? Even if he left you, remaining single just makes you useless, doesn’t it”, “This’s why I hate hiring omega’s, they get half the work done and then expect time off”_ , the list went on infinitely. These things that had once hurt Baekhyun were now so often repeated to him that they’d become funny. The three mail sorters would joke about them in the back on slow days, and it had quickly ceased to bother him anymore.

Yes, Baekhyun didn’t have an alpha. And yes, he couldn’t afford health insurance to help pay for heat suppressants. But, in a world that would not advocate for omegas, in a world that would rarely ever hire them to begin with, Baekhyun and the new age single mothers like him, were stuck in a feedback loop that never allowed them to escape. He had stopped having a passionate opinion about it long ago. This was his life, so he chose to be as happy as he could about whatever he had left to call his own. He no longer felt that same spiteful anger as he did in his youth and, while he didn’t accept it (for he never could in good faith), he still played along to ensure that those he loved and cared for could have what he never had. He was glad to have a beta child, but only because he knew that Sehun would have a little more than an omega could ever afford, and then he’d never go through the tumultuous heartbreak that had become iconic of this revolutionary decade.

But, recently, his boss had been getting on his case about him constantly missing work. The bombardment of violent, overwhelming heats had taken everything out of him. Sometimes, he’d still ache two days after it had ended. Other times, he’d realize just how old he was getting, and the constant 50 hours work weeks remained too few to make much a difference, and far too many considering the fact that he was not so young and limber anymore. When thoughts like these hit him at work, he sighed. When the day came that he couldn’t do it anymore, he’d figure it out then. 

But for now, Baekhyun had stood in place, feeling nearly palpable disgust at a letter in his hands addressed to an all-too-familiar name. His husband’s name. He quickly shoved it into the corresponding box as the door swung open on rusty hinges.

“Jesus, Baekhyun, are you okay?” 

Baekhyun scrunched his brows together and smiled mindfully, “I’m okay, at least I think so. Why?”

“Well, see, I came around to give you this box of letters to sort into P.O. Boxes, and I noticed that the back of your neck was about as red as a strawberry. I figured you’d sunburned, because who doesn’t around here— Anyway, come to find out, your face is pink!”

“ _Really?_ ”

“Yeah, really.”

His coworker shifted the box into his left arm, shuffling through deep cargo pockets to pass him a portable mirror. Lo-and-behold, Baekhyun’s face was pink all over, but not as oddly as it had been made out to be. It was a shade that spread over his face evenly, gradating between barely-there and forcefully brash as it settled in the apples of his cheeks. It was a healthy look, almost a bit coy considering the implication, that of which he wasn’t quite certain.

“Yeesh, you should go home,” his female coworker pointed out, bringing a paper cup of cold water to her lips.

“What? Go home? Why?” Baekhyun fretted, worrisome over losing hours, but not so much about his own health.

“If you ever take my advice, it’d be now and never again. I’ve had _five_ kids. I know _exactly_ what that means.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened in embarrassment as he adjust his glasses, nodding with his mouth open as he tried to force himself to say something.

“…You’re probably right,” he finally said, clearing his throat, “Do you mind if I leave? Or…”

She waved him off, and so he was gone as quickly as she could have raised her hand, speeding away almost comically.

“So… What does it mean?” The male coworker asked as Baekhyun rushed to his car, forgetting to remove his name tag, “What does having kids have to do with sunburn?”

“I’ve never met a beta that actually pays attention in sex ed class. This is high school stuff, right?”

“We don’t pay attention because we don’t _need_ to. I don’t have all that weird anatomy that you have.”

“I really don’t think that you can call a brain ‘weird anatomy’, but if we’re talking about what I have and what you _don’t_ , then that has to be the first thing you’ve _ever_ been right about.”

The two chuckled as they scoffed at each other, though now quite serious about his question, he asked once again,

“No, really, what does that mean?”

“Piece it together yourself. Baekhyun’s obviously an omega… You’re a transplant so you probably don’t know much about this place, but we _all_ know each other. I actually went to high school with him. He got married almost right after graduation to some big businessman. It’s kinda absurd that his husband never moved out of this middle-of-nowhere, god-awful town with all that money, but he’s been this place’s biggest philanthropist ever since he first got here. See, our main industries are lumber and big pharma research, and he’s got his hands in both. Long story short, they got divorced a few years after they had their first kid, and he was left to bear the brunt of it. He hasn’t remarried since then and, while I’m sure he could definitely do so if he wanted to, you can practically _feel_ the towns collective judgment. Everyone’s talking about re-marriage as if they don’t look down on it as something lesser. He’s doomed no matter what he does.”

“Oh, didn’t know it was like that.”

“Yeah, well, that’s why he’s never here for a weeks time every month. It’s rough, you know. I wish the best for him.”

“You know, I think he might be pregnant.”

“ _What?_ ”

“It’s kind of a hunch, and I have absolutely no idea who it would be by, but he’s been missing a lot of work lately, and symptoms like those just make me wonder. But we’re not even really that close, so I guess it’s not my place to know.”

“Poor him. I hope he gets it figured out, though. Boss’s been pretty angry with him calling out so much recently. Quota’s just don’t get met when he isn’t around.”

“The dude files mail like that’s all he’s been doing his entire life,” she chuckled, tossing the paper cup in the waste bin, “In all honesty I’m surprised the boss’s put up with it so far. Like, really, people around here love to fire omega’s for their “inconvenience” even though that same “inconvenience” is ingrained within us. We just can’t help it. You know, omegas make up about 60% of minimum wage and blue-collar work in this country, and they still treat us like we’re expendable. He works so hard, it’d be a shame to fire someone like that. God, I fucking hate the way things are.”

“Couldn’t agree more.” He nodded, tilting his head to the side, “You know, what’s ironic is the fact that you’ve literally become exactly what you seem to hate the most.”

“Because I had no other choice,” she shrugged, hauling another box of letters over, “I mean, think about it. I can either marry an alpha and have the rest of my life set out for me, no matter how unhappy I am. Or, I could struggle for the rest of my life like Baekhyun, never really sure if everything I worked for could be ruined by some power hungry alpha that didn’t know any better because they’ve never been taught any better. They don’t know what it’s like. We always lose, no matter what we decide to do. One loss just ends up being better; the lesser of two evils.”

“Is that why you’re so bad at your job? Because you don’t have to like he does, that is.” He joked, a teasing grin smeared across his face.

“Guess so. At least I’m not a dumbass.”

And so the two went on with the rest of their day. That’s what they all did, because that’s all they could do, no matter how much they wished things could be different.

—

Baekhyun arrived home quicker than he had expected to, but only because he had sped through most of the neighborhood. With age and time came many wisdoms, but the one that Baekhyun had to be most proud of was knowing exactly when and where the road cops were going to be, and around midday they tended to linger around the school zones. Useless knowledge, perhaps, but that was neither here nor there, for more pressing matters were at hand.

Baekhyun quickly shut the front door behind him, hurrying to the bathroom to look in the mirror. His complexion was glowing — practically _irradiated_ — and starting to redden from the pink it had started as. He looked like he was having the worst fever of his life, or like he’d popped a blood vessel, or somehow both at the same time. Now that he thought about it, he did remember one other point in time where he’s looked like this, and that was right before he conceived his first child. The constant hormone build up worked wonders for him and his cycling, but not so much for someone that had no desire for a child, nor any mate to have one with. So, it was here that he sighed helplessly and wondered why he had let it all come so far, why he had been weak in the face of adversity.

The shock had soon settled in as he struggled to hold himself up, the rippling waves of heat and cold tearing through his body like a sharp cleaver; swift, unhindered by meat or bone, and merciless in its painful execution. He had already begun to give up, reduced to a stiff, contracting mess on the living room floor, flooded by his own cold-sweat, his body begging to be bred. He only hoped that he had the strength to ride it out like he always had, but as he grew so weak, so riddled with need and nausea that he wasn’t able to get up onto his feet anymore, he knew that it just wouldn’t be possible.

Baekhyun reached into his back pocket, the shifting of cheap, rough fabric brushing against the ever-sensitive spots on his body and pulling a torturously empty shiver up his sides. Chanyeol was only one call away, and it would be only natural of him to hear Baekhyun sniveling through the earpiece and immediately hurry over. He couldn’t quite decipher what he was saying through broken sentences and choppy words, but he had grown to be a respectable, dependable man. It didn’t require much to get him concerned and on his way.

Coming through an unlocked door, Chanyeol was quick to panic when he found Baekhyun on the living room floor. To his relief he was breathing, but he looked to be in immense pain. He wondered why Baekhyun had called him before an ambulance, but his open blouse, the coloring of his skin, the slick that leaked through his trousers, and the feeble finger padding away at his insides in search of some kind of comfort were signs to a _different_ kind of emergency. This wasn’t pain, it was immense, flooding arousal.

“Are you okay?” Chanyeol asked as he kneeled beside him, squeezing the omegas hand. He was only met with a meek mewl, his chest rising and falling in quick, shallow breaths. The young alpha had opened the sliding porch door just a crack to let some cool, fresh air in, but that didn’t stop the poor, hormonal omega from curling up and whimpering helplessly, convulsing with pain that could only be described as a flash of searing heat all over his skin while simultaneously being chilled to the core. Yet, the presence of another helped to quell his suffering, no matter how minuscule it seemed. As Chanyeol held his hand and propped the elder’s head upon his strong thigh, he felt closer and closer to the precipice of illumination, only to wonder when he might actually arrive.

Chanyeol blushed furiously as he watch everything unfold. Not purely because of the state the omega was in, but because of the aura’s drifting through the air and catching on his own, like honeybees to the pollen of ripe flowers. Chanyeol had never been good with words, so he organized his thoughts best in terms of pictures, ideas, music, and what have you. The scene that unfolded before him felt like a spring breeze through the barren valley, like a lone doe grazing at the very first brush of dawn after famine had retired. This was fertility manifested, loosely drifting through the air as something that could only be described as… As the smell of a hot spring teeming with blooming flora; thick, hazy, warm— piercingly raw and drizzled with sweetness.

Baekhyun felt his muscles loosen as a relaxing scent pervaded his senses. Shifting his head up ever-so-slightly, he found Chanyeol’s erection poking into the plush padding of his cheek, just a tad damp on the tip as precum bled through the fabric of his pants. Unto this Chanyeol could wait no longer as he shuffled a soothing hand through Baekhyun’s hair, haphazardly pulling down his pants in a snap judgment to nudge the head of his cock against his cheek, silently begging to get inside his mouth. He slid it up and over the sensitive skin until it was smeared with precum and rubbed a little raw and red with each prod into the cute, fatty little expanse. Baekhyun’s knees hitched up and his pain waned as he weakly pushed Chanyeol away, gently pawing at the irritated patch with a placated frown before suddenly sliding his lips over the girthy length, eliciting a sharp gasp. Baekhyun took the good majority of Chanyeol into his mouth, letting its heavy mass lay twitching against the velveteen softness of his tongue. He didn’t move, his breath hot and cloudy on Chanyeol’s pubic area as the younger resisted bucking up into his mouth, almost falling apart at the seams with rampant fervor until Baekhyun sucked slow and long, his cheeks hollowing out as he pacified himself on his cock, one hand lazily stroking at whatever he couldn’t get his lips over. Chanyeol moaned lowly as a tremble ran down his spine when Baekhyun pulled up one last time, suckling on each inch until his mouth was empty, already pushing the blindsided boy back onto his forearms.

The little omega crawled sensually over Chanyeol on his hands and knees, staring him down face-to-face as if to ask something. Baekhyun’s eyes were sharp in their gaze, but glossy and gloomed over were his irises as their pupils widened and widened until Chanyeol was staring back into abyssal darkness. The oscillating fan rustled his hair in every which-way while sunlight fell through slatted shades, painting his face with swaths of warm yellow light and shade. His lips, just barely parted, glimmered unassumingly with no hint to what vulgar deeds he had just performed. For a moment, Chanyeol thought he was looking at someone new, but around this mysterious enigma were traces of Baekhyun that remained no matter the weather, and it made him feel at home. There was just silence for a while, somewhat of a silent tribute to considering whether or not any of this was worth it. Eventually, nothing else seemed to matter, anymore.

Baekhyun leaned in to kiss all over the younger’s rosy cheeks and the tip of his nose before pressing their lips together. Chanyeol writhed as he was so cruelly subject to watching him strip down to expose his pussy, all to slowly sidle down onto Chanyeol’s cock with his eyes screwed shut and his cute little button nose scrunched up. When he was flush against Chanyeol’s pelvis, he noticed the young alpha holding his breath. His stare was fixed upon his hips for lack of a better place to look. Baekhyun smirked endearingly before slowly — _excruciatingly_ — rising up, falling down, rising back up again, all to watch the young alpha squirm. Chanyeol noticed how Baekhyun constantly adjusted himself, gyrating languidly as he rose and fell, moving in a way that made it seem like he might hurt himself if he went any faster. 

Chanyeol was broken from his entrancement when Baekhyun let out a rough moan, his thighs quivering as he came flush to his pelvis once again. Vertebrate-by-vertebrate, his back arched as he held himself up with a thin arm upon his knee while the other toyed lazily with his breast. 

“ _God, that feels so good_ ,”Baekhyun murmured, a pleasing frown drawn nicely upon his features, “I haven’t felt that in _so_ , so long.”

Without giving Chanyeol a moment to ask what exactly that was, Baekhyun was already latching his lips upon the sensitive outstretch of his neck, sucking long and hard as he chased his own orgasm, grinding down and sliding forward and moaning breathily with each and every movement like he was afraid someone else might overhear. To this, Chanyeol’s eyes rolled back, head falling upon a weakened neck as he let Baekhyun ride the life out of his virgin dick, lathing his tongue around the base of his neck and then over his ear to moan his sweet filth. He was met with incoherent stammering as he picked up the pace, the alpha’s cock pushing right up against his sweet spot and sending tingles down his spine as he grew wetter and wetter for it.

“Oh, you don’t know how good this feels, you don’t,” Baekhyun murmured desperately, his head lolling to the side as his cheek pressed into Chanyeol’s, hot and bothered, “Mommy’s gonna cum all because of your big cock; all because of _you_.”

Throughout all of this Chanyeol is being driven crazy, wanting to come, wanting to _knot_ something — anything, at this point — and never getting there. But, Baekhyun’s tempo just barely missed own, never getting fast enough for him to really _get there_ , to cum deep, deep inside and give him what his body was so desperately feening for. Without thinking, because by now he felt he lacked the capacity to think about anything other than Baekhyun fucking himself on his dick, he gripped his supple hip with a sturdy hand and bucked upward, pulling a sudden, high-pitched, and unstable moan from the back of Baekhyun’s throat, to which Chanyeol cherished it accordingly.

He was less prepared when a gentle slap echoed and then became nothing in the still, humid air. Chanyeol brought a hand up to his cheek, shocked and surprised, wondering what he had done wrong.

“You don’t get to do anything to me unless I say it’s okay,” Baekhyun scolded authoritatively, voice low as he sat up straight, something sexy and dominant in the way he looked at him with pointed eyes glassed over.

“I-I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself.”

He was apologetic, he was confused, but most of all, he was in shock. Shocked just by how captivating Baekhyun was in all scenarios, by how ensnared he was into the very idea of him that all he could think about was fucking up into his warm, inviting pussy.

Baekhyun pushed forward, so close to Chanyeol’s face as to smell coffee on his breath, “Good alphas are _respectful_ to their omegas, aren’t they? They don’t just take what they want, when they want, just because they can. Do you understand me, Park Chanyeol?”

“Yes.”

“I said, _do you understand me_.” Baekhyun repeated, so very serious.

“Yes, I… I understand that I should be respectful.”

“Yes, _who?_ ”

“Yes, mommy.” Chanyeol corrected, voice barely a whisper as his eyes darted back and forth from looking at him and looking away.

“Good.”

Baekhyun released a shaky breath against the Chanyeol’s neck as he rested his head against his shoulder, continuing to slide his hips back and forth, his mouth falling open, followed by a string of low, obscene words as one hand gripped Chanyeol’s shoulder for support. Truth be told, for every second that he was telling Chanyeol off, he was only getting more and more aroused. In the meantime, Chanyeol got off on being told what to do, on being guided, on getting used like this. These things, however, never distracted from one inevitability. That being: that Baekhyun wanted so desperately to be fucked absolutely, positively _senseless_ , until he just couldn’t come anymore, until he was hollow on the inside, light, and airy.

“Fuck, _fuck_ ,” Baekhyun moaned, head still leaned against Chanyeol’s shoulder, “I bet you want it, don’t you?”

“M-Me?” Chanyeol asked in between heavy breaths, delirious and overwhelmed by the heat around him, “W-Want… Want what?”

“To rail me,” Baekhyun sighed, quickly becoming patient and desperate as he picked up the pace, their noses touching cutely, “To ruin my pussy, to make it messy and sloppy with all your cum until I can’t take it anymore, and then some.”

Chanyeol blinked, wondering if he was really awake, wondering why everything had changed so suddenly. But that wasn’t an offer he could refuse. Ever since his presentation made him start to drool over omega’s, Baekhyun and only Baekhyun had been the apple of his eye. In an odd way, he’d wanted Baekhyun all of his life. Only now was he really acting upon it, and only in this weird moment between time did he not only acknowledge it, but fully accept it.

“I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Then _fuck me_.”

In a flurry of movement and clumsy limbs, Chanyeol was on top of Baekhyun, but almost immediately the older alpha noticed the nervousness to his disposition. The alpha had gotten a little ahead of himself, now lost in a position he wouldn’t be able to fake his way through.

“Aw,” Baekhyun chuckled airily, “That’s right, you’ve never been inside an omega, right?”

Chanyeol shook his head, mumbling _’no’_ as Baekhyun tried to stifle his laughter, hoping he might not discourage the poor boy.

“Look.”

Baekhyun laid back, spreading his pussy for him with two fingers in a gentle pull of skin. Chanyeol could only blush and stare, shame pricking his skin. He was too far in now, and there was nothing anyone could do to snap him out of it. He wanted it so, so bad. Baekhyun had a pretty little pussy, it smelled nice, it looked nice, it just appealed to him in a way that he didn’t have words for. His eyes widened in awe as he struggled to decide what to do next.

“All you have to do is push in. You don’t have to worry about hurting me if you’re careful enough,” Baekhyun said, hinting at the lewd lubrication of his hole, “Want me to help you?”

“Y-Yeah… Please.”

Baekhyun stifled a genuine giggle as he reached from Chanyeol’s member with his free hand, lining him up right where he needed to be. Though he’d just been inside him, and though Baekhyun had been just fine, he moved with carefulness as he held him like he was something delicate and precious.

“You’re almost there, baby,” Baekhyun cooed, the drawl of his smooth, sensuous voice oozing like honey.

For access’ sake, Chanyeol pushed Baekhyun’s leg up, pinning him down strong by his thigh, digging amateur fingers into the thick, plush flesh, getting the omega to writhe and jostle. In a bout of curiosity, Chanyeol thrusted forward, catching Baekhyun off-guard as he fell onto his back, arching just enough to get that angle he was craving and dragging it out for as long as possible until he was a quivering mess on the carpet, being pinned down by his favorite alpha.

“Does it feel good?” Chanyeol asked, buried up to the hilt in Baekhyun’s ass.

Baekhyun’s response was only a pleading whimper, and that was enough for Chanyeol as he thrusted in and out, not really having any experience, but still holding some primal knowledge to it all; knowing that if he could move his hips just right, he’d find that little bundle of pleasure buried deep within him. 

“ _Shit_ —“ Baekhyun shook to a halt, head thrown back as he groaned.

Chanyeol looked on with worry, wondering if he’d hurt him. The small omega ran his hands through his own hair, making a mess of it as he trembled wildly, indecipherable stammers and babbles ripping through his throat as tears streamed down his face. Then it hit, a waft of that sweet, enamoring aroma, like strawberry syrup and homemade bread. Chanyeol moaned lowly into it, unmoving as he stared at Baekhyun’s begging face with vicious want, too caught up in the thickness of the air and what it had done to him to utter a word. Baekhyun pulled him closer as he pounded into him without abandon, fingers digging into his shoulder blades as he sobbed in ecstasy, eyes crossing as his sight left him with the impending threat of a ruinous orgasm.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but nose around the side of his neck, tracing the skin around his Adam’s apple and settling at the sensitive junction connecting it to his shoulder. Out of his mind, wild, and uninhibited, he wrapped his mouth around the fading marks there, incisors prodding at the skin, increasing in pressure, getting closer and closer and closer to puncturing the skin.

But, even in a state of fiery, insatiable lust, Baekhyun pulled him away by his hair, yanking rough and hard as to draw a pitiable whimper from the young alpha. That only fueled him, as he thrusted in deep, skin meeting skin with each hard, unforgiving thrust as he approached his release.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Baekhyun moaned aloud, no longer stifling his voice as it rose and fell in pitch, caught up in itself and choking him up, “Breed me, cum inside me, have my babies, alpha— oh _fuck_ , I- cum inside me, _please_.”

Baekhyun continued to cry, mumbling on and on, now growing impatient and desperate - even a bit frustrated - as his pussy gushed with sticky slick, quivering down to the bone each time he came, just wanting to be knotted, to get that sweet, sweet, long-awaited release he’d been craving for _years_. 

“ _Alpha_ ,” Baekhyun sighed, gathering Chanyeol’s sweaty face in gentle hands, still so softhearted even in the middle of it all, “ _I love you._ ”

With that, Chanyeol came with stars in his eyes all just for Baekhyun, pulling out on his last thrust and shooting cum all over his chest before shoving himself back in to knot him, convulsing and groaning as he came down from his high. Baekhyun let out a hefty sigh, limbs splayed all over the carpet as he indulged in the feeling of fullness, Chanyeol’s full weight pushing down on him. 

As minutes came and went, his mind grew clearer, his understanding of what had happened became more of a reality, and yet, he didn’t move nor take time to be shocked. He just didn’t want Chanyeol to leave. Yet, it would only be a matter of time before his knot went down, and when it did, he slid out slowly, lying on his back beside him with his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.

“I’m… What just happened.”

Baekhyun sat up, rubbing away an ache in his back as he stared off into space, shrugging absentmindedly. Chanyeol lazily traced his finger around his lower spine as the cicadas murmured and the fan continued to buzz, pouting as he thought about what had happened. About how he had almost mated Baekhyun. About how he had almost made him pregnant. It was all like a fever dream; like he’d wake up in bed, sweaty and shocked. Except, he was here now, right next to Baekhyun on the floor of the home he had essentially grown up in, sweaty and shocked. After a while, he couldn’t deny anything, anymore.

But, that was the thing. He didn’t want to deny anything, and neither did Baekhyun. They wanted this, wholeheartedly, honestly, and passionately. Yet, they had figured that their days were numbered, and so they spent this moment in somber silence, savoring each moment that passed, even if they weren’t right in each other’s arms.

“The weather’s not too hot today, huh.” Baekhyun said, his words as empty as his mind.

“Surprisingly, no,” Chanyeol replied nonchalantly, furrowing his brow and then settling into a goofy, innocent grin, “Kinda nice though, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

This was peace. 

As Baekhyun looked out of the porch glass, he was brought back to remembering that he hadn’t touched the garden in a long, long time. Though the grass had always been dry, he was known in this little community for having beautiful peonies. Now, they drooped and wilted as he had continued to neglect them, so preoccupied with work and Chanyeol and every worry in between that he had forgotten about them. He had wondered why they had suffered so much now— he usually could leave them alone for long periods of time and they would be fine, so what changed? Baekhyun figured the soil must be dry this season, or maybe this specific generation of buds was weak. But the fact of the matter was, and it came to him in a strike of remembrance, Sehun used to do it every morning.

“What’re we gonna do?” Baekhyun asked, too blissed to be upset as he turned his head back.

“I dunno. Hm. Um… For now, I think this’s enough.”

Baekhyun chuckled, his voice lighter than air as he smiled at the absurdity of it all,

“I like the sound of that.”

Even then, that didn’t erase the fact that they had a lot to consider. What they were doing was undeniably dangerous and taboo, but it was nice to simply sit and chat, or to just be next to each other, as time passed.

—

Chanyeol left feeling liberated. More importantly, he loved Baekhyun, and yet it was ending as soon as it had started. He had unlocked some primal instinct inherent to humanity as a whole; connecting to all that Baekhyun was and taking a piece of the perfection he had so graciously presented to him on a silver platter. To lose it all, and so quickly at that, was difficult to grasp.

Chanyeol just couldn’t get out of his own mind, and he most certainly had never expected to come face-to-face with Kim Jongin just a few doors down from Baekhyun’s house. Though his body was screaming at him to freeze, to just walk the opposite direction, he continued approaching him as if pretending to be calm and collected would save him.

His old friends’ presence didn’t necessarily imply any accusation, but he ought not be around here in the first place. Kim Jongin was a charismatic - though somewhat reserved - guy. Chanyeol remembered meeting his peer for the first time and feeling some air of aloofness about him. He was the son of the mayor hailing from one of the richest families in town, the leading quarterback on the football team, admitted to his first-pick college, and fawned over by any person with a pair of eyes and decent taste.

But, more importantly, Jongin was the type to be spontaneous. He popped up where you least expected him to be, laughed at jokes you might not ever expect him to find funny as he captured hearts with his dazzling laugh, and admitted to deeds that you couldn’t ever expect from him. Within his shining repertoire of captivating spontaneity, so daring and almost deceitful in its presentation, was now his sudden appearance at Mr. Byun’s home with the pure intention of saying hello on a sunny fall afternoon. Never mind his luck, running into _the_ Park Chanyeol, the high school heartthrob and class clown, also notorious for being a bit “quirky” (which was a nice way of saying that all the other alpha’s didn’t understand him at all and regarded him as a bit weird).

But, just as excitement and nostalgia sparkled in Jongin’s eyes, Chanyeol’s stomach dropped as paranoia overtook him. Would it be obvious? There could only be one reason why Jongin would leave the rich east-end to come all the way down here. Why, there couldn’t have been a worse time.

“Chanyeol!” He called, waving, “How’ve you been?”

“Good, good, but I’ve really gotta get to class.” He shrugged, sounding a little too relaxed in comparison to the jitter of his restless feet, “Um… What’re you doing here?”

“Came to say hi to Sehun’s mom, nothing special. I actually go to college just a short drive away, so I commute. It’s been boring around here without you guys, I didn’t know you stuck around?”

“I go to community college, didn’t think I’d go at all. But I really have to go, I’ll catch you some other time.”

“Yeah, yeah, good seeing you.”

Chanyeol rushed past him, eyes pointed down at the ground. Jongin took slight notice of how disheveled he looked, liked he’d just been thrown on whatever was lying on his bedroom floor and didn’t bother brushing his hair. Was he really _that_ late to class? Wasn’t the community college in the opposite direction? If he wanted to get there within the next 30 minutes, he definitely wouldn’t be doing so on foot. Furthermore, why did he smell so good for someone that looked so bad? It was sweet, almost ridiculously so.

He shrugged it off, not one to know Chanyeol all that well. Jongin stood before Baekhyun’s door, and then it hit him like a strike of lightning to a measly tuning fork as he raised his fist to knock. The muss of Chanyeol’s hair, the musky odor that mingled with that sweetness from before – as he stepped closer and closer, that same sweetness lost the scent of pastries and sugar and gained the heady fullness of arousal. From here, he froze, and in doing so, the pieces to this scene had become complete. 

He refused to believe it. How could he? It was simply implausible, _unthinkable_ , there was no way that Chanyeol would ever… Surely, he wouldn’t… That just wasn’t characteristic of him. No. No way. His thoughts babbled on like this, so he knocked just to be sure— to free his mind of its cacophonous roar, to confirm to himself that, indeed, his friend of several years wasn’t… That, surely, this was all some misunderstanding. It had to be. What were the odds, right?

“Hello?” Baekhyun greeted, almost instantly recognizing the face before him, “Oh, you’re one of Sehun’s friends! Jongin, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, um, hi.”

“Well…” Baekhyun prompted gently, “Is there anything I can do for you?”

Jongin was entranced by the deep blush spread over Baekhyun’s nose and cheeks, fixated wholly upon the way his eyes glowed like two polished orbs of amber. This wasn’t the blush of embarrassment or of laughter, it was the blush of inner-warmth. He seemed blissed out, just happy for no other reason than to be happy, much unlike the typical niceties of day to day conversation like theirs and, while the Baekhyun he had come to know was quite affectionate, he had never known him to be so giddy. He wasn’t sure if Mr. Byun had noticed himself, but he reeked of allure, wholesome and becoming like he had just… Jongin didn’t finish the thought. Now, he was sure; sure that the relaxed slope of his shoulders and the lazy sideways smirk smeared across his face were not by coincidence. He seemed fevered, like he was holding back a giggle and was simultaneously panicked. It was absolute. Mr. Byun must have been entirely oblivious as to how refreshed — no — _ravaged_ he looked. Jongin’s eyes shifted down his body once, and then twice, and before he had time for a third he was scolding himself for it. Voluptuous thighs met soft hips upon a body-line that held full breasts and a coy set of shoulders, outlined so perfectly beneath his wrinkly, untucked button-up. Combine all that with how radiant he looked today, and he himself might’ve fallen in love had he not known him to be his friends mom. Jongin had never seen him like this, nor had anyone else, for that matter. Now, it all made sense.

“No, Mr. Byun, I only came by to say hi,” Jongin nodded politely, scavenging for a convenient lie, “I actually have class in about half an hour, but I happened to be in the neighborhood. It’s good to see that you’re doing okay, though.”

“Well, that’s very kind of you,” Baekhyun said, feeling a bit more assured of Jongin’s ignorance as he assumed his usual motherly tone, “Sehun should be back home in a few weeks for the holiday.”

Jongin really wasn’t sure as to whether Baekhyun knew that he knew, but he was on the kinder side, and it just wouldn’t be in his nature to point it out. Rather, he had to go tell someone, or else it’d eat away at him. To do so much as to not tease him and to lend him his politely feigned ignorance was already phenomenally nice for an alpha in this town and towns like it.

After good regards were had and the door closed, Jongin lingered a bit if only to be able to memorize the elaborate, addicting smells in the air. These weren’t just the scents of two people individually, it was their intertwining aroma, something like an intoxicating concoction of pheromones on one level, and purely human on another; like sweat and body, the smell of skin on skin with heat and due time. He remembered Baekhyun’s coy posture, the way he seemed to vibrate with joy while also relaxing into the air, joining the winds flow and swaying with it.

 _What a lucky bastard Park Chanyeol was_ , he thought.

And that, unfortunately, what was led to the mayor stepping up to his front porch with a firm knock and his tall posture. Baekhyun wasn’t typically expecting anyone at 12 o’ clock noon on a Saturday, so he’d been cleaning all morning. He was frozen still as he peered out of the peep hole, this man being a relic of his past that he didn’t like to recall — someone who had been his friend when he was married, but hadn’t spoken to him since.

“‘Afternoon,” Baekhyun greeted politely with equal amounts of caution, “What brings you around today, mayor?”

“Good to see you’re doing well, Baekhyun. I was just wondering if you had a moment to chat about something important.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was getting ridiculously long (which i didn’t intend at all, I’m just really long-winded) so I had to split the final chapter into two parts -  
> I’ll post the last half when I wake up! i rewrote a good majority of this bc I (1) didn’t like the original, (2) am very sick and bored, and (3) I’m procrastinating anyway lol
> 
> That being said, if you want an open-ended, not-too-unfortunate ending that’s up to your imagination, this’s a good place to stop. Otherwise, I gotta end this fic’s whole career next chapter >:-/
> 
> Also, can i just mention that people that write smut are GODLY. Idk how you do it, that’s a talent in and of itself. I had to use a whole weeks worth of horny to write this, and even then, i had to do it in two sittings bc — for me, at least — it’s just mentally and emotionally exhausting like wtf
> 
> (Big shouts out to that one ig live of bbh saying his skin is sensitive, that’s a powerful fuel)


	6. chapter vi ; auspicious renewal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone @ jongin last chapter: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ETmoIM5UMAAAsPM?format=jpg&name=medium

## 

chapter vi ; auspicious renewal.

_Chanyeol was used to feeling alone, even going so far as to take pride in his resilience, but such resilience in the hands of someone who did not understand it was only foolishness._

—

Light clouds rolled in, sparse amongst a great expanse of vivid blue as they cast ghostly shadows upon sepia-toned, bleached streets. The mayor didn’t realize what his appearance symbolized, nor did he care to.

“Well, sure, don’t see why not.”

Baekhyun directed the mayor to the living room couch, offering a cup of tea to which he declined. He joined him opposite the coffee table shortly after clearing a few things away, but he couldn’t stand the painful silence in the room. It wasn’t unorthodox for the mayor to make random visits in such a small, uneventful town, but the two had relinquished their ties long ago. He hated having an alpha the likes of him in his home, so even upon sitting down he wrung his hands with unease. It made him look guilty of something, though he would rather not admit that he was just fearful of his presence. Let it be known: even though the alpha before him sat unassumingly, his aura towered over the small omega.

“How has everything been for you, Baekhyun?”

“Things have been well,” He answered honestly, nodding, “Sehun is away at college and I’ve gotten into a normal routine of working. There really isn’t much else to say. Not much has changed since the last time I saw you.”

“Hm, hm,” He nodded, adjusting his glasses and rolling up his sleeves.

Something about the way he lowered his voice and leaned his elbows onto his knees, staring at him from over the rims of his glasses had Baekhyun shrinking back into the couch cushion. He couldn’t help averting his eyes, though the skeptical tilt to his brow could be felt just as much as it ought to be seen.

“Listen, I’m not just here to make small talk. I’ve been made aware that you’ve had another alpha around, and quite frankly, in a rather inappropriate way. I’m not here to persecute you or demonize what I’ve heard to be the truth, only to give you a warning and be on my way.”

“A warning? Are you implying that I would just sleep with any alpha?” Baekhyun chuckled uncomfortably, though there was nothing funny about the situation.

“Well, perhaps I’m not implying it, per se. It’s certainly not something anyone in this community would expect of you. But, it’s also something that, if it is indeed happening, should be addressed and, ultimately, put to a stop.”

Baekhyun smiled as an extension of his frustration at the ludicrous nature of the mayors visit and the hypocrisy he dared to drag with him into his house because it all just _reeked_ of bullshit. Here he was in his home having a talk with him about his sex life like he was a teenager. Somehow, this was all just another day in life for an omega; supposedly autonomous over their own bodies, but only as a novel idea and never in practice. _How dare he_ , Baekhyun thought, _how dare he come here and relay his pompous concerns as though he ought to give a damn_? 

“My question is, where are you finding out all this information?” Baekhyun asked, doubt befalling his voice.

“My son is friends with your son, you know this. To be fair, he didn’t want me to confront you, so don’t let it come between our two boys. Nevertheless, I suppose he came to visit and he found evidence that you had sex with an unmated alpha, supposedly he doesn’t know who, but I think it’s safe to say that he’s just trying to protect someones anonymity. You know, Baekhyun, while I understand that heats must be rough, sexual misconduct and promiscuity are simply not okay—“

“And what’s so wrong with having a new partner after _all this time_?” Baekhyun challenged, “Am I not my own person or—“

“Look, there are unspoken rules that we live by to maintain order. _Tradition_.” the mayor said, voice growing stringent, “You have a shining reputation in this community. I live in the same cul-de-sac as your ex-husband, I know you know that because I used to visit every day when you two were newly-weds. He’s moved on. He has a lovely partner and three healthy children. Don’t you want that for yourself? Don’t you _want_ an alpha to put a stop to the never ending destitution that is this pitiful existence of yours? To give you purpose amongst this defiant meaninglessness so that you can do what you were made to do, so that you’re no longer a burden upon society? Even in saying that, in a way, I’m rooting for you, aren’t I! These choices are yours to make, and yet you _choose_ to be this way. You _choose_ to live with your head barely above water. You don’t have to go around fucking anyone that’ll give you the time of day just because your ex-husband doesn’t want you anymore.”

Baekhyun blinked a few times, fixing his gaze to stare him in the face as he shook his head wordlessly, truly left with nothing to say at the audacity of such a comment. He may have chosen to not have a new partner, but… None of this had ever been a choice. His suffering was not a choice, his position in society was not a choice, the way he was treated all his life had _never_ been his choice to make. His life had been an unsolicited bombardment of being told who he was, what he should do, how he should do it, and the consequences of deviating from outdated tradition. To this, he was enraged. From the robbery of his freedom to the condemnation of whatever choices he _did_ have. They all made him sick to his stomach. There had never been a moment like now where he reeled with rage by all that was wretched and wrong.

“I don’t see what my ex-husband has to do with anything. Not only is that extremely disrespectful, but I got this far without any of his help. We’ve been divorced for _years_. That’s irrelevant to this already ridiculous discussion.”

“You might now care now, but just think about what everyone’ll think of you if you continue with this provocative behavior. I’m sure this wasn’t the first time. You care about that boy of yours, don’t you? Sehun? You’ll be pulling him down with you. I wouldn’t have that. I know that you omegas have issues like these, but you of all people ought to know better.” The mayor stood, causing Baekhyun to shrink into himself as a response to his invaded space.

“But, it’s only my job to maintain order in this tiny, humble town,” he said confidently, dragging a finger beneath his chin to tilt his face up, “If you ever need some “confidential” help with that heat of yours, you can always come to me.”

He patted Baekhyun once on the shoulder as he turned to leave, “Otherwise, have a good day Mr. Byun. Please consider what your actions portray to others and—“

Baekhyun snatched his hand away, standing to face him as a man, “You’re as _disgusting_ now as you were back then. You know I want absolutely nothing to do with you, right? That your opinion means as much to me as your shitty attempts at outdoing my ex-husband and _failing_ every time have? You’re no better than me, you’ve just failed in a different way. At least I can accept where I am without feeling an incessant need to stroke my ego!” 

There was a sobering silence following soon thereafter as the mayor stared at him with a scowl that read like anger, repugnance, and a question to his audacity. Undeniably, Baekhyun was flustered, burning in his anxiety. He’d never spoken up before. He wondered why he had chosen to now, of all times, when he had become so accustomed to letting it all pass year after year.

“Now I _know_ why he left you,” The mayor spat, looking down on him, “You’re nothing more than a disobedient _whore_. It’s pathetic, really. You ought to pray I don’t ever find out who it was, because the moment I do it’s over for him just as much as it is for you. And then that son of yours’ll have to bear the brunt that comes with having a disgrace for a mother. I thought I’d be nice about it, but you _clearly_ don’t deserve the bare minimum as it is. Unruly omega’s are a burden. Maybe one day you’ll learn. When you do, you might earn some respect.”

He slammed the door shut on his way out. No matter how big a display of bravery he had bolstered, Baekhyun was nothing more than a subpar joke to him. That was the nepotistic nature of the alpha, no matter how many times it could be proven wrong. This became his plea, a wanton dream, a drifting sigh; the desperate wish to achieve freedoms that had waned and waned until they were as slight as the final slivers of a crescent moon. They seemed unattainable after so much time, and yet, he still looked.

How deeply Baekhyun wished for it to be done away with. And yet, he understood that this was life and that he might have been better off not trying at all. In embarrassment, in anger and frustration, tears cascaded down his face, tormented by the continuous humiliation that came with simply _being_ ; existing as he was in _their_ society, for they wouldn’t even let him – and all the people like him – claim it as their own.

This was why he had opted for staying alone no matter how much it tore him apart, because sticking to an alpha would always hurt him. Like many omegas of the new age who had been raised by couples who bore the brunt of such trifling, old ways, Baekhyun dreamed so naively of a world where he could be an equal. When he had met Chanyeol, he had been given some spark of hope. Now more than ever, he wondered just how much he had isolated himself from things that may be good, all for fear of the overwhelming majority of evil that circulated his world like a swarm of buzzards over the hanging entrails that now only vaguely resembled his self esteem.

—

After Chanyeol had spotted Jongin, he found it best to lie low for a few days. The two weren’t very close, but he had hoped that he had enough common sense to not snitch, and if he were lucky he would have brought it up with him personally. But so far, with no calls or texts to be seen, he decided that it would be safest for both himself and Baekhyun to spend a few days apart.

The nights had begun to chill as summer had long receded, but even with a window open he slept comfortably. The climate remained as constant as the ache that nagged at his heart when he slept alone, as though loneliness-manifest had begun to claw at his chest. Recently, he felt weak — a weakness he had once thought he was invincible to. Chanyeol was used to feeling alone, even going so far as to take pride in his resilience, but such resilience in the hands of someone who did not understand it was only foolishness. Now, he allowed himself to be weak, which was the key to admitting that he loved Baekhyun like the moon loved all its stars.

Another ache, one that ought to be dealt with sooner, was the one that befell him from even being in his childhood home. In a manic fit, he had remodeled his old bedroom. A long month of painting layers of clarifying white over nauseating green paint, ripping carpet from the floor and replacing it with wooden paneling, recycling all the furniture and replacing it, fixing the broken air conditioner with junkyard parts, greasing the hinges on the door, and etcetera… All led to him lying awake in his bed at 2am, staring pensively at the ceiling as the old memories seeped in through his skin and settled ill-fittingly in his bones. All that hard work to erase the past done in vain.

Some of these memories tasted like tart lemonade and sounded like laughter and lullabies. That’s what made them hurt most, however, for they were the remnants of a past that could have continued on, that _could have been his_ if his parents hadn’t died. It was unfair how two sweet souls could pass so gruesomely, but Chanyeol had no desire to know how so, and only that it had been in a roadside collision. He liked to imagine that it was quick and painless, and with this he wouldn’t allow anyone to tell him the truth. It was all he had left to cling to.

Even then, he no longer cried when he brought it up. By now, it had been so long ago that it ought to lay dormant in the past, but that would never stop the dull pulse of despondency that coursed through his body and made his thoughts murmur in a state of vicious restlessness. The truth remained constant, just as the weather had: for as long as he remained attached to this place – attached to the idea that his parents would magically make their comeback and that he might finally be happy – he would always be discontent with life. With himself. 

Chanyeol wanted to find his own happiness in whatever way possible. In small ways, he had. These days, he was more-or-less confident in himself, much less of a troublemaker than he was in the past. As a young teenager, sometimes it just made more sense to find a way out when you couldn’t find a way to fit in. After failing headfirst time and time again, Chanyeol had pulled himself together into as constituent of a piece as he could.

With Baekhyun, he could feel all these pieces pulled tight like metal twine had been wrapped around twice and pulled. No matter what, Baekhyun had always been there for him — even during the worst of times when all Chanyeol could think to do was to push him away. But, he’d always invite him back inside when he showed up a month or two later, bashful and ashamed. He had always regretted the fact that he never apologized, yet Baekhyun’s love was everlasting and unconditional. The older omega saw through him and all his turmoils, and at his very core he would see reflected back at him a reflection of himself, because Chanyeol had since tried his hardest to be as kind and as forgiving as him.

He had gone from simply admiring and looking up to him, to loving him with a heart that was not free from transgression nor flaw, but was filled to the brim with new love to give. 

He tossed and turned in bed that night, never quite getting comfortable. He was struck with a new feeling. He didn’t want to have sex with Baekhyun, he didn’t even want to do so much as touch him. Getting to hear his gentle, sing-song voice as an echo from far away would have been enough. To just sit in a dark room and talk to him about how his day had went would have been enough. The pain that congregated at the very center of his chest was not born of sadness or anger, only an intense longing to love and be loved. This was a new type of loneliness: one that didn’t dwell upon the past, rather, was isolated in the very present. The major difference was that, now, he finally had the power to choose.

When he woke up that morning, a sluggish montage of boring, daily hygiene, he only thought about visiting Baekhyun again. All throughout class, past his lunch, and down to the very minute before he was stopped on his doorstep.

This would be it. He would confess. If not now, then never.

“Hey,” Chanyeol greeted, smiling lopsidedly as usual, “Are you free right now?”

Whereas he usually expected for the door to swing open and for Baekhyun to practically drag him inside, now, it was barely open at all. Like Baekhyun had closed a part of himself off, not wanting Chanyeol to get too close.

“I don’t think that you should come over, anymore, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun said melancholically, eyes cast down.

“What?” Chanyeol asked incredulously, soon taking realization to the situation, “What do you mean?”

“It’s best for the both of us if you only come over when Sehun’s around, right?”

Chanyeol tilted his head, this detached and timid quality to Baekhyun’s voice so unusual and strange, “Uh… Are… Are you okay? Does this have something to do with me?”

“It’s not okay, and you know it, too,” Baekhyun attempted to smile, but it fell flat and lifeless on his face as he receded further, nothing but a crack in the door and a glimpse of his face, “It just isn’t right. I’m jeopardizing you and Sehun. I ought to continue doing what I’ve always done. Please don’t come back until Sehun returns for the holiday.”

“Wait!” Chanyeol reached for the doorknob, making no move to open it if only to stall its closing, “Isn’t there some other way? Some way that we could make this work? Even if it’s complicated, I… When you say “better”… I can’t even imagine what that means to me. I don’t want it to end like this, to just pretend it never happened. I’d do anything to keep you, and you know that. What changed your mind all of a sudden? If it’s something I did, then I want to stand up to you as a man and apologize for it.”

“You’re a sweet boy. But you have your whole entire life in front of you. Don’t let me take that away.”

“I love you.” 

Baekhyun eyed the ground with an intense look of contemplation stamped upon his face, before bringing those same conflicted, empty eyes up to Chanyeol’s. To an outsider, this looked like anger and irritation, but Chanyeol knew that he was thinking long and hard about what he’d said. The young alpha always reminded Baekhyun of a puppy, with eyes as big and unassuming to match when he turned his brows up and tried to smile. Shining pure like sterling steel despite his hardships. It made it hard to ever deny him anything.

“He’ll be back in four weeks for winter break.”

And then the door shut, but that soulful, downtrodden quality to the overly-polite murmur of Baekhyun’s voice remained ringing in his ear for the rest of the walk home.

—

Chanyeol hadn’t been over in about a month. Not because he hadn’t visited, but because Baekhyun wouldn’t have him no matter how hard he tried. But Chanyeol had grown used to this over many years, and so he kept moving onward as he always had. He refused to believe that their moment on the porch was the end of everything.

People had begun to find out about what had happened, though they were all within the same rich circle, so he figured someone must have let the word out and it had run rampant from mouth to mouth ever since. But, these were only a few individuals, and his favorite regular faces were none the wiser. He preferred it that way. Maybe there was a chance of everything going back to normal, like right before Sehun had left for college, and that he’d had absolutely nothing to do with Park Chanyeol.

Sehun’s arrival should have been a lot sweeter, filled with warm greetings and home cooked meals. Yet, when he came through the front door, luggage in hand and fresh from the taxi, nothing was said.

Sehun noted the way his mother was persistent to hug him, wary of getting too close and ultimately, of being around him whatsoever. That had become too much to simply ‘brush off’, and yet he proceeded with caution (a very, _very_ deviant action considering how direct and brash he tended to be). He felt as though Baekhyun looked a bit different, though he couldn’t put his finger on it. Weight gain immediately came to his mind, but it seemed more _specific_ than that. Had he been sleeping enough? Maybe he was dehydrated. God, what could it be? Though he would never be as great at percepting scents as alpha’s and omega’s were, even he noticed that something smelled “off”. It didn’t seem to be some air freshener, or some new linen spray — no, it was very telluric and far from artificial. He had once mistaken it for incense, and now his eyes had been opened to the plain truth before him. His dear mother had mated someone while he was away, and he didn’t know how to take it. He even suspected that he might be pregnant, but if that were the case, wouldn’t this be a happier occasion? Baekhyun was a joyful spirit, no matter how tired, no matter how overwhelmed, and now he was left with a husk that felt like the antithesis of his mother. Regardless, he didn’t dare jump to conclusions so soon, no matter how convenient they seemed to be.

“Mom?”

“Yes, Sehun?”

“Did anything happen while I was away?” He asked cautiously, though a large part of that caution was utter confusion, “Anything, really.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, though he tried to smile, “Like what, sweetheart?”

“I dunno,” he shrugged, “Anything.”

The two were at a standstill, the knife still clutched firmly in Baekhyun’s hand as Sehun stood with his luggage from across the kitchen bar. Baekhyun dared not look up, but he knew that Sehun was staring right at him, waiting for an answer. He _knew_ that something had happened, and worst of all, he was worried. Not accusatory, not upset, but just _worried_. 

“You’re going to be upset, and rightfully so,” Baekhyun started, setting the knife down, stretching his fingers.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad, mom,” Sehun said tender-heartedly, worrying his brow, “You can tell me.”

He hadn’t even suspected that it had _anything_ to do with Chanyeol, and at this, Baekhyun’s heart broke even more. There was a divide between them now that spoke wordlessly— Baekhyun’s persecuting guilt was no match for the soft sincerity that Sehun held for him; rare it was, for he was never one to be gentle or sweet. That made it even harder.

“I slept with Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun blurted it out quickly, like he might never if he didn’t then, there, and now. He looked straight into Sehun’s eyes with his hands over his mouth, expecting the worst response. All he saw was disgust spreading across his face. That disgust soon morphed into a fire behind his eyes that read like pure hatred and unadulterated rage; the likes of which were so intense, so potent, that it brought Baekhyun fear.

“I _told_ — no, _warned_ — him about this!” Sehun exclaimed, exasperated and angry, “How dare he?! After all the trust I put into him?! I just— Mom, I— _Did he force you_?”

“Sehun, sweetheart—“

“Mom, _please_ , just be honest with me.”

Baekhyun could practically feel the heat of vendetta burning beneath his skin, but even further than that was betrayal. He was hurt, as Baekhyun expected. And for this, he must pay.

“I would have _never_ told you if the guilt wasn’t killing me,” Baekhyun admitted, rushing over to plead with him, “It wasn’t anything like that. It was my own mistake. And now I have to live with it and— Oh, Sehun, please don’t cry, _please_ ,” Baekhyun wept, “ _I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I never wanted it to get this far_ ”

Tears ran hot and stringent like acid down Sehun’s face, bitter with pain. He had trusted Chanyeol, believed that might just be the only person to ever understand him as an honorary brother. Now, he only felt disgust. Hatred. Rage. Betrayal. There was nothing that could be done to fix it. 

The two continued to cry, and only after a few minutes did Sehun submit to his hold, his head falling onto the smaller omega’s shoulder as he sobbed in frustration, the fabric of his mother’s shirt held tightly in balled fists.

—

“Sehun?” Baekhyun called, knocking on his bedroom door, “You didn’t come to eat breakfast, so I cut you some fruit.”

He was met with a harrowing silence. While he hoped that it was because Sehun was sound asleep and resting through jet lag, he also considered the fact that he might’ve just been avoiding him. Baekhyun couldn’t blame him for that so he didn’t, setting down the plate by the door. He wondered if he should ask about how he was feeling. But, he knew Sehun very well, better than anyone else did, in fact. He would rather die than open up about his feelings. That had always been the way he was.

“I’m heading to work now. I won’t be home for lunch, but I’m cooking dinner tonight.”

Sehun laid pensively on his bed, the same frown from the day prior screwed into his face like a mask. Below this mask brewed a confusing concoction of emotions, all conflicting and contradictory in the way they interacted. He was quick to text Chanyeol under the guise of having missed him, and when he had replied without hesitation, he was all the more confirmed in his feelings.

At the park, 1pm, maybe they’ll get something to eat.

Of course, he had no intention of actually holding true to that. Sehun stood with his hands balled into fists in his pockets, each step toward his destination sending a tremor through his shins with the heavy force against hard sidewalk. He didn’t know what he would do if he saw Chanyeol’s face again and he didn’t want to imagine it. He figured that if he didn’t immediately combust, he might throw up, instead. It was a nice day – it was _always_ nice – but if he could get any hotter he would pass out. Having to text him was torture enough. He didn’t want answers of any kind because he knew they would end up being excuses or lies. Rather, he wished for catharsis; a release from the anxieties that jittered through him ever since he had first found out that his best friend of a near-decade had done the worst thing he could’ve done while he was away. To him, the park on a sunny afternoon during an academic holiday just seemed right. It set the stage for justice to be enacted in front of everyone, or an odd form of “justice” that couldn’t really be titled such. 

And poor Chanyeol, believing that things could go back to normal, was none the wiser. He had figured that sacrificing his relationship with Baekhyun would mean erasing everything that had happened between summer and winter up until now (as though time worked that way). He had assumed that Baekhyun would always know better than him. That denouncing their love for the greater good – for Sehun and for Chanyeol – would solve everyone’s problems. But it never would. Pasts could not be unwritten, just as his childhood would remain with him forever, and futures could not be prepared for, just as he had always feared. 

“Sehun!” Chanyeol called as the other approached. He felt awkward greeting Sehun again considering what he had done, the promise he had broken, and the lies he would have to continue to tell in order to maintain this farce, “How’ve you been?”

Sehun stopped before him, and from so close Chanyeol could hear the ringing in his head before the punch even landed, a tumble to the ground that threw him so off balance that he thought he might throw up.

“Don’t you ever talk to me again.” Sehun said plainly, leaning down to grab him by the collar, “And if I _ever_ see you around my mom, if you do some much as come anywhere near my house, I swear on everything that I’ll kill you.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened as he scrambled to stand, “Wait, Sehun, just let me try to explain myself.”

“I don’t want to hear your “side of the story”. I want absolutely nothing to do with backstabbing, filthy, fucking liars like you.” 

Sehun took one last look at Chanyeol before he walked away, everyone in the park staring at the offender while he made no move to stare back. In this very moment, he felt that there was nothing for him to lose. Chanyeol had already taken whatever semblance of trust he’d earned and he had thrown it away like it were nothing. For nearing a decade of friendship, for being the only person that Sehun felt he could be sensitive around without his usual sarcastic façade, it still hurt even though he seethed with anger. It was painful. To whether anyone would believe it was not important, for on the inside, he was well below currents of sorrow and disappointment. It was a multidimensional pain that transcended the good and marred it all in its vicious wake. He would never forget this, and it would follow him for the rest of his life. He wondered if he had ever once stopped to consider the consequences. That, in and of itself, was unforgivable.

There was no returning to normalcy from what had happened.

—

“Look, I’m sorry.”

“Fuck you.”

After about two days, the ring of deep purple around his eye had solidified as one whole palette of colors, there to stay for a while. The news spread like wildfire and soon everyone in the town knew what had happened to him. Though, most didn’t know _why_ and didn’t think it was right to ask. Those that _did_ know only had to connect the dots from the first rumor that had gotten out, and from then on they avoided him altogether. It was all scandalous. This unfolding of events may have been widely known, but the truths to them remained in the mayors circle of rich-folk. He didn’t know for how long it would stay that way.

“I never meant for it to get this bad.” Jongin swore, standing right outside the door to Chanyeol’s cottage as he peeked at him through a crack, “I never meant for any of this to happen. If it were up to me, _nothing_ would’ve been said.”

Though every muscle in his body screamed with an urge to slam the door shut, Chanyeol opened it for him; extending a metaphorical hand to offer a forum to explain himself.

“But it _was_ up to you. And then you went and told everybody like that wouldn’t stir the pot.”

“I didn’t tell everyone, I told my dad,” Jongin sighed, the toils of his mental scolding visible on his face, “I shouldn’t have, and I’m sorry for that, too. I guess he went to talk to Sehun’s mom and, I dunno what he said, but he came back pissed as hell, so… But I don’t know how Sehun found out.”

“Swear on everything?”

“Swear on my mom, my dad, my grandpa and grandpa, my dog, on everything I care about— God can strike me down now if I’m lying to you.” He hung his head throwing his hands up in defeat and letting them fall to his sides, “I made a mistake. I’m sorry. I really am.”

The sun began its descent over the prickly remains of the cattails of seasons past while Chanyeol wondered if he should forgive him or not. With every inch of his mind he figured he should send Jongin away, stewing in his regrets and miseries so that he might come to understand even a fraction of what Chanyeol felt. His heart, however, molded by time and adversity, may not have been _ready_ to forgive, but also knew that it never would be. Healing would only happen if he lended an opening for a doorway. So he did.

“If it really was just a mistake, then I accept that.”

“You don’t seem like it.”

“Well, yeah, it’s difficult. I don’t want to, but if I never do, what’ll that mean for me? You’re lucky I even gave you the time of day.”

Chanyeol bit his lip apprehensively as watched Jongin practically fold into himself. He didn’t want to be what he hated most about people, and he’d realized that he had every right to be angry, but he’d spent most of his life angry at the world, anyway. 

“But I wouldn’t try to forgive you if I didn’t want to. He would’ve had to find out some way, you can’t hide a secret like that forever. It was just a matter of time, I guess, and it was my own fault for the most part. I just would’ve liked to have a say in how it all ended.”

“I’m really sorry.”

“Heard you the first time. Go home. Don’t worry about it.”

Jongin nodded silently, pacing back down the steps. He didn’t know how he could make things better, or if he could in the first place. Damage couldn’t be rescinded, only repaired. Each time something was broken and put back together, it only got weaker.

Exasperated, Chanyeol shut the door, reaching for his phone, fingers hovering over the buttons as he contemplated what he was about to do. After so long, he’d finally started to forget Baekhyun’s home phone number, though just a few weeks ago it was muscle memory.

_’If he doesn’t pick up, I won’t call him ever again’_ he thought, making the call.

Several rings were met with intermittent silence, and then a familiar voice rang, the sound of television droning along in the background. A curious _‘Hello?’_ that fell soft as a feather upon his ears, even through the distorting receiver. 

“I need to talk to you.”

Baekhyun’s voice, now settled to a whisper, “ _Chanyeol_?”

“Please.”

Some silence, and then, “Don’t do this.”

“I just want to hear your voice. We don’t have to talk about anything in particular.”

“You _know better_.”

“I do, but I miss you.” Chanyeol sighed in exasperation, leaning against the doorframe, “Please.”

—

Reluctantly, Baekhyun had agreed to meet up with him. The only concession being that it would be this once, only this once, and never, ever again. The details were difficult, finding a place where the two wouldn’t be seen together over such a small selection of places to hide. Eventually, they both found themselves at the lone rest stop three miles out from town. In the middle of the night, fluorescent light posts flickered with swarms of moths and mosquitos while the crickets chirped from their hidden places. It was hard to speak at first when the two exited their vehicles, but they soon came to stand side-by-side along the road in a wordless agreement to speak and be done.

Baekhyun nodded towards Chanyeol’s truck, admiring the new paint, “It looks great, you did a good job.”

Chanyeol thanked him, kicking a pebble as he stewed about his thoughts. There was something about the simplicity of Baekhyun’s compliments that had always made them feel genuine and real. He hadn’t known much of that growing up, and it had always felt good to have someone feel proud of you, no matter what you did. Even if he had’ve done a shitty job, Baekhyun would be proud of him for trying. Even if he was doing it for himself, it made the work feel worthwhile. 

This was the presence that Baekhyun had imposed upon him ever since childhood.

“Before you ask, I was the one that told Sehun. I couldn’t handle the lie, anymore.” Baekhyun said, running his hands over the cold goosebumps on his forearms, “I also heard about what had happened between you two and figured you wouldn’t be able to come around anytime soon. Thought it would’ve been for the best.”

“Yeah, look, I’m sorry for having not said anything after what happened. I’m… I didn’t know what to do. I still don’t think I do. And I’m sorry for never knowing.”

“And that’s okay, I understand that feeling,” Baekhyun said, eyes fixing onto his face as he gently rubbed circles into his back with a firm palm, “There’s nothing wrong with being uncertain; feeling lost. I’m proud of who you’ve become today. Most wouldn’t have the consideration that you have, anyway.”

Chanyeol stared up at the mountainous horizon, head tilting and a brow raising as is usual for him, so predictable in fact that Baekhyun would have seen it coming from a mile away.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Have I ever told you about Sehun’s father?”

Chanyeol shook his head, grimacing lightly.

“He was the stereotypical type. Strong, handsome, tall, confident. I met him almost right after I’d move to the city after graduating from high school. Met him at this social I shouldn’t have been at and usually would’ve avoided. Next thing I knew, I was head over heels, pregnant, married, and dropped out of college like it was a no-brainer. Point being, I had fallen in love, more so than I had ever expected. He had quite the reputation, too – older, from a rich family doing well in the business, born and raised in the heart of the city. I brought him back here just to visit, and when he saw all these business opportunities, he bought the biggest house with the nicest yard and we settled down. They all looked up to my husband and I, like we were the model couple of the town, perfect in every way. But, he was just like any other alpha. Controlling, impulsive, you name it. I hated that about him. At the time, he saw a vulnerable, naïve omega and he took advantage of it. He roped me into marriage as quickly as he could, and then expected me to serve him like a maid. I’d always thought I’d end up with someone more understanding – and he had seemed to be at the time - but he quickly became everything he’d said he wasn’t. I guess you could say I had bad judgment. I did what I did because he wanted it, not because I wanted it. He needed me, so I gave myself to him. I needed him, so I did whatever I could. Do you see the trend here? I’d always been his object, malleable and willing to do whatever. I followed him to the ends of the Earth and settled for the bare minimum. I didn’t even _want_ to get pregnant so young, but…”

A thin stream of tears trickled down Baekhyun’s cheek. He held his face in his hands, eyes clamped shut as his fingers jittered restlessly with all the strength it took to hold back a decades-worth of cries.

“But I did it _anyway_ because I felt trapped. It was never about _me_ , I didn’t matter. But he was a good provider, and I cared so much about Sehun that I stayed if it meant that he would be set up for a better future. I’d thrown everything away just to be with him, so I hadn’t much of any other choice, anyway. After a bad fight, what with me telling him that I couldn’t take it anymore, he pushed me down the stairs. I still limp to this day, and it used to remind me of him all the time. I hated being alive as Byun Baekhyun because my existence was tagged by him, and when I wanted to give up, I’d think of Sehun. Needless to say, I demanded a divorce and he agreed.”

He wiped at his eyes calmly, looking up to the sky,

“Even before him, there were alphas I’d wished I’d never met. Ones that thought that omegas were playthings and treated me as such. You really aren’t like that. At all. It’s something to be proud of, I think. Especially in today’s day and age.”

Chanyeol pulled him into his arms, listening intently as though he might somehow understand his pain. Sehun had said it well— he’d never understand what it was like to be a beta or an omega, and sure, he’d never truly feel that kind of suffering. But, he empathized with this kind of pain. He only wanted to protect those that he cared about; those that were vulnerable. He had known all his life what it felt like to be lost.

“I understand you. I want you be happy above anything else,” Chanyeol said, eyes sincere and loving, “I had meant that I’d love you for whatever you choose to do; that no matter what it is, I’d always treat you the same way. Even if it’s not like… Like this.”

“Why’re you so loving?”

“Because I learned it from you.”

The tears had stopped long ago, but Baekhyun felt them welling back up in the back of his throat again.

“Will you ever come back?” Baekhyun asked, pulling away.

“I sure don’t think Sehun wants me back.” Chanyeol sighed, still feeling his wounds fresh and raw, “I didn’t want it to end like that. Well, I didn’t want it to end at all. How do I get him to trust me again?”

“Knowing my son, it’s not easy. On top of that, he’s his own person. Maybe he’ll forgive you if you ask, maybe it’ll take him months, even years. Maybe, he’ll forgive you, but he’ll never want anything to do with you ever again. People feel how they feel, and once they’ve changed, sometimes you just can’t get them back. That’s just the way it is, and he’s justified in feeling however he wants to about this.”

Baekhyun squeezed his hand tighter as he fell silent, the cold night air nipped at them both, marking that it was almost time to part ways.

“I’ll still come back.” Chanyeol finally said, “I’ll come back for you.”

“I’m happy with whatever you choose to do. But…” Baekhyun exhaled, revealing a bit of his impatience, “How can I know that you’ll really come back one day? That you mean it? That’s such a long, ambiguous amount of time to wait on someone that might never come back, I—”

“I’ll be back in three years when I graduate. When I’ve made something for myself on my own,” He said, pulling Baekhyun close, “And if I don’t come back, then just forget about me.”

“Deal.”

—

“Ow,” Baekhyun dropped a box of stock onto the pallet, rubbing at his lower back. He’d begun working at the local grocery a while ago in order to afford health insurance and, for the very first time in a long time, he had been able to afford heat suppressants. Not only that, but he was able to see a rehabilitation doctor to work on his leg. They’d thrown him on the evening shifts, the sunset glaring bright through tall glass windows. Working at the grocery had proven to be a laborious task, especially once they’d started putting him in charge of stock. He’d never been exceptionally strong, especially not these days, but he had an inkling of a suspicion that his boss was trying to get him to quit. That just wasn’t something he could do, however, so he took each new task in stride, hoping that his resilience might make him see otherwise. It wouldn’t, it never did, but if he were to spend every waking moment of his life in cynical misery, he wouldn’t have ever gotten this far. He probably wouldn’t be alive to see it, either. Those same miseries would have him thinking about Chanyeol every second of every day, if that were the case. It had been three years, almost nearing four. Sehun had graduated a few months ago, and so, he had undertaken the task of believing the very worst. That he had worked so hard to raise Chanyeol only for him to become what he had sworn he’d never be. He had so much hope for him. That was dashed quicker than anything else, and yet, he still hoped that – wherever he was – he was happy. Sehun, on the other hand, had finally let the situation pass. He could never blame his mother for it, anyway. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to look Chanyeol in the eye without feeling repulsion and hate, but time had carried him this far, so there was no telling how he would feel in another year or two.

“Working hard or hardly working, Baekhyun?”

“Sorry, I hurt my back,” Baekhyun apologized, turning to his manager, “I’ll get right back to it, I just need a moment.”

His manager looked down his nose at him, and it was then that Baekhyun wondered if he really had the strength for any of this, anymore. Whereas small jabs of criticism like these were once fun to joke about, they had begun to dig deep into him. Never mind that his body wasn’t keeping up like it used to, he wondered if there was an end in sight to any of this. Yet, as persistent and stubborn as he had ever been, he kept going without worrying about where the finish line was. Life was too short to waste on fear. Life was too short to wait on _anything_.

“Okay, but don’t make a habit of it. You have someone waiting by the counter for you. I think it’s your son.”

Baekhyun huffed outward, excited though simultaneously worried and wondering just what might be so important that he’d stopped by his place of work. Sehun was hired at some fancy marketing firm on the coast. From time to time he sent Baekhyun money in the mail – large sums that he could never accept and always returned. If he were here to confront him about it again, he’d surely let him have it just as he did when he was younger. Yet, without another thought, he limped to the front, cursing under his breath with every step until he was halted in his tracks.

He stood by the first conveyor belt in a modest suit, looking down at his watch a few times to many as he fidgeted. He had grown up quite a bit, though his eyes still maintained that kindly, boyish charm. Why, he’d changed so much, and yet he hadn’t changed at all. Baekhyun stared in disbelief as though he might wake up any second now. He didn’t want to believe in any of it, so desperately trying to spare himself from disappointment.

And then that tall man turned his head, smiled, waved, and there was no denying it.

“Chanyeol.” He gasped, running toward him with his arms open, forgetting about all the pain.

The sun shone bright that evening.

## 

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHH, the end! You know, the ending to this was supposed to be kinda bittersweet (with emphasis on the bitter), but I was reading comments the morning I was supposed to upload the final chapter, and I figured that I should change the ending lol. We’re in quarantine because of covid-19, so let’s all to try to be happy lmao
> 
> The support for this fic was overwhelming — Thank you for being so supportive, especially during a time where I was trying something new and wasn’t sure of myself. Big fat shoutout to bluesunsets <3 Yes, I do read through all of your comments to the end, and yes, they never fail to make me laugh 🥺💖💖 
> 
> I’ll be working diligently on my other fic over the break. I haven’t updated in a few months now, I think, so it’s long overdue. See you soon!


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